Adaptation of Pastoral Livetock Production to Climate Change and Variability: A Case of Harshin District, Somali Region, Ethiopia
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Date
2020-10
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Climate change and variability poses a major threat to pastoral livestock production in Ethiopia.
Thus, pastoral communities positive coping and adaptation strategies need holistic support to
safeguard their livestock based primary livelihood option. The purpose of this study was to
determine the trends & variability of temperature and rainfall, describe climate change impact
on livestock production, explore the adaptation strategies practiced and perceived success of the
adaptation strategies, and determine the factors that influence the adaptation strategies. The
study was conducted in Harshin Woreda, Fafan Zone, Somali region. In this study a mixed
research design was applied. A total of 356 sample households were selected using systematic
sampling method. Qualitative data were collected from 10 key informants and 4 focus groups
discussions. Descriptive statistics, mann-kendal trend test, standardized precipitation index
(SPI), precipitation concentration index (PCI), likert rating scale, and multivariate logistic
regression were used to achieve the stated objectives. Pastoralist’s perceptions were examined
in correspondence with climate data recorded at meteorological stations in Harshin Woreda.
The climate trend and variability analysis findings over the last three decades revealed that
generally there is an increasing trend of rainfall and temperature, but the rainfall pattern is
irregular even within the same season. This presents difficulty for the pastoral communities to
pursue their two main livelihoods; livestock keeping and farming. The prominent impact of
climate change and variability in the study area is reduced livestock number and productivity,
degraded pasture and browse, depleted watering points, reduced terms of trade, reduced
community risk sharing practice and proliferation of livestock diseases. The principal adaptation
and coping mechanisms employed to mitigate the impact of climate change are herd
management; changing herd composition, increased herd mobility and herd splitting followed by
rotational grazing, increased veterinary service use, destocking, feed preservation, and combing
livestock production with crop production. The study portrayed the most perceived success of
climate change adaptation strategy relates with herd management; changing herd composition,
herd splitting, and increase mobility of livestock. The perceived success of rotational grazing,
purchase of livestock feed, storage/preservation of livestock feed climate change adaptation
strategies are prominent as well. As per the analysis of the socio-economic (non- climatic
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factors), climatic factors, and perception of climate change and variability variables against the
climate change adaptation strategy revealed that household sex, livestock holding, income level,
educational status, access to veterinary service, access to credit, flooding, livestock disease
outbreak are statistically significant in two or more climate change adaptation strategies
practiced by the pastoral communities in the study area. From the study findings, it is evident
that the impact of climate change and variability is massively felt in the pastoral communities of
the study area affecting their means of living, social dynamics, environment at large. However,
as per the findings of the study showed, the pastoral communities never fail from trying to cope
and adapt to the prevailing challenging situation resulted from climate change and variability
through herd management, rotational grazing, feed preservation and diversification of livelihood
options. Nevertheless, effective livestock adaptation strategies are seriously constrained by lack
of institutions that governs climate issue at the grassroots level, poor service and facilities that
support the adaptation strategies such veterinary and credit services and lack of basic
infrastructure. Therefore, as recommendations sensitization of pastoral communities on reality
of climate change and variability and its impact and to strengthen the positive coping and
adaptation strategies is paramount. On top of dealing on the immediate climate related
problems, it is paramount for government and any development actor to work on factors to
address the barriers to climate change adaptation in the study area to deal with the root causes
to find lasting solution. Policy and support program should focus on strengthening community
based early warning and early action and institutionalization of climate and climate change
issues.
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Keywords
Climate Change; Climate change/ variability; adaptation strategy; Policy