Ethiopia is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries experiencing drought and floods as a result of climate variability and change. This study examined the major climatic changes experienced by farm households in the lowlands of Southern Ethiopia. It utilized a mixed methods sequential explanatory design approach to triangulate quantitative data with qualitative data. Using a multi-stage sampling procedure, 400 farm household heads participated. Moreover, meteorological data were acquired from the National Meteorology Agency for the period from 2000 to 2019. Descriptive statistics, rainfall anomalies, and coefficient variation were used for data analysis. The findings show that over the last 20 years, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather had increased, and there was an overall change in the seasonality of rainfall. Drought assessment results showed that 2004, 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2017 were all drought years in the study districts. The results revealed that reduced crop production, flooding, crop losses, drought, malaria, and animal disease were the major climate change impacts that farm households experienced in the lowlands of Southern Ethiopia. The study suggests that drought-resistant crops and water harvesting schemes should be promoted to minimize the effects of climate change.
Climate change affects rural communities that depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. Farmer focus groups and a survey of 400 farm households were used to examine the livelihood strategies used by households in the context of a changing climate and to identify the factors that affect adoption of livelihood strategies in the lowlands of Wolaita, southern Ethiopia. The findings showed that just over half of the farm households depended solely on agricultural activities (crop and animal production) as their primary source of household income. The findings suggest that during a two-decade period, the frequency and severity of extreme weather events increased, which affected the livelihood strategies of farm households. Farmers reported that climate variability affected farming activities by decreasing yields as result of irregular and delayed rainfall as well as impaired animal productivity due to shortage of grass, inadequate water, and illnesses. This study showed that gender, age, level of education, household size, landholdings, livestock ownership, extension advisory contact, total annual income, and access to food aid were significantly affected the adoption of livelihood strategies in the area. The findings suggest that national public policy should support climate-smart agricultural practices, as well as non-farm livelihood diversification strategies, as part of Ethiopia’s national job creation strategy.
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