Climate Change Adaptation Strategies of Smallholder Farmers: The Case of Bedele District, Bunno Bedele Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Understanding of the local dimensions of adaptation is essential to develop appropriate adaptation measures that can minimize the adverse consequences of climate change. The objective of this study was to identify farmers’ adaptation strategies and determinants of climate change adaptation strategies in Bedele district, Western Ethiopia. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study and 100 respondents were interviewed. The results shows that the likelihood of households to adopt adverse effects of climate change in the study area used adjust planting date, integration of crops with livestock, irrigation, crop diversification, crop rotation and soil and water conservation practices. Determinants of adaptation choice identified were sex, family size, educational status, farming experience, assess to media, extension contact and access to training and they have significant effect on climate change adaptation strategies which makes difference on adaptive capacity among the smallholder farmers. Access to training increased the probability use of climate change adaptation strategies of crop diversification, improved crop and livestock, soil and water conservation and irrigation practice increased by 2.3%, 10.9%, 4.91 %, and 9% respectively. Also the farmers farming experience increased the probability use of climate change adaptation options of crop diversification, improved crop and livestock, soil and water conservation and irrigation practices by 16%, 18%, 6.4% and 54% respectively. Therefore, researchers forwarded building farmers adaptive capacity by providing access of training and access of credit and awareness creation on climate change through different sources such as mass media and extension service, enhancing farmers on use of crop diversification, irrigation practices and using improved crop varieties, adjust planting date to minimize the effects of climate change in the area.

Key words: Adaptation, Climate change, Determinants of climate change, Smallholder farmers