Assessment of Climate Variability Context and Local Farmers’ Adaptation Strategies in Halaba Special Woreda, Ethiopia
[1]
Yericho Berhanu, Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources, School of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
[2]
Mulugeta Tesfa, Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources, School of Wildlife and Ecotourism, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
[3]
Mulugeta Bekele, Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources, School of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
The main purpose of this study was to assess climate variability context and local farmers’ adaptation strategies in the Halaba special Woreda (district) of southern nations and nationalities regional state of Ethiopia. The mean monthly Precipitation data of 24 years (1989 up to 2012) was collected from National Meteorological Agency and socio - economic data was collected from 184 sample respondents selected using simple random sampling techniques. The Precipitation data was analyzed by transforming into standard precipitation index. The socio - economic data was also analyzed by using descriptive statistics. The study results manifest that the district is characterized by its recurrent drought and flood occurrence for the last two decades. It was assured that 58.33% of the years under investigation were characterized by severe drought occurrence with magnitude of one to four months in each year. On the other hands, the flooding was occurred in every year with magnitude of one to four months. To escape from adverse impacts of climate variability, the local communities developed proactive and reactive adaptation strategies. Changing the growing seasons, using improved crop varieties, crop rotation, intercropping, plowing along the contour, construction of soil bunds, saving agricultural products, buying water for livestock consumption, and being the member of “Idir” are the major adaptation strategies in the area. In spite of having several local adaptation strategies, the smart adaptation strategies should be identified and scaled up.
Adaptation Strategies, Halaba Special Woreda, Climate Variability and Idir
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