Households’ Vulnerability to Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies: The Case of Choke Mountain Watershed, Eastern Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

Rural poor in developing countries including Ethiopia are the most vulnerable community to climate change impacts because they depend mainly on climate sensitive economy. Hence this research attempted to assess the local vulnerability to climate change and farmers’ adaptation strategies in five dominant agro ecologies of Choke Mountain watershed of Eastern Gojjam zone. The study attempted to examine farmers’ perception towards climate change, their vulnerability (exposure, adaptive capacity and sensitivity) status and the adaptation strategies undertaken to cope with and reduce the impact of climate change and related hazards. To achieve the objects set, necessary data were collected from sample kebeles through different techniques. Due to time and budget constraint, the researcher selected only 10% of total kebele’s household. Thus, the total sample respondents of the study area were, 100 in number. The study used integrated assessment approach capturing diverse drivers (biophysical and socio-economic) of outcomes to assess vulnerability of the study to climate change. Descriptive statistics was used to investigate farmers’ perception and the adaptation strategies undertaking in the study area. Whereas, LVI-IPCC index was used to examine the vulnerability status. The result confirmed that the majority of sample households perceived climate change and as the impact of climate change was affecting their livelihood in many different directions. Even though farmers who perceive climate change, have been undertaking various adaptation strategies, such as irrigation, livelihood diversification, planting trees, soil and water conservation, the result shows as it was not satisfactory and insufficient, and needs to be enhanced. The LVI-IPCC, index showed as the relatively most vulnerable ecosystems were, the hilly and mountainous areaAES5 (D/ kelemo) and the lowland area AES1 (Kurar) whereas, the midland plainly kebeles (Yemezegn and M/ berhan) relatively less vulnerable area, and the slopping land (Enerata) as moderately vulnerable to climate change. Generally, from the result of the study it can be concluded that the area is exposed to climate change and extremes due to low adaptive capacity of the area, thus high emphasis should be taken either by government or by the communities to reduce the impact.

Keywords: climate change, vulnerability, exposure, adaptive capacity and sensitivity