Farmers’ Perceptions and Adaptations to Climate Change through Conservation Agriculture: The Case of Guto Gida and Sasiga Districts, Western Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopia, one of the developing countries, is facing serious natural resource degradation problems.  The main objective of this study was to examine the farmer’s perceptions and adaptation to climate change through conservation agriculture. The data used for the study were collected from 142 farm households heads drawn from five kebeles. Primary data and secondary data were used. In addition to descriptive statistics, Heckman two stage sample selection model was employed to examine farmer’s perceptions and adaptations of climate change. Farmers level of education, household nonfarm income, livestock ownership, extension on crop and livestock, households’ credit accessibility, perception of increase in temperature and perception of decrease in precipitation significantly affect the adaptation to climate change. Similarly, farmers’ perception of climate change was affected significantly by information on climate, farmer to farmer extension, local agro -ecology, number of relatives in development group and perception of change in duration of season.  A binary logit model was employed for farmers’ participation in conservation agriculture shows education level, number of active family labour and main employment of farmers were significant variables in determining participation in conservation agriculture

Keywords: Climate Change, Conservation Agriculture, Heckman and Binary Logit, Western Ethiopia