Climate change impacts and adaptations among ethiopian farmers : case studies of Hagere Selam, Tigray, and Kofele, Oromia

Abstract

This thesis‟ empirical investigation is based on case studies from two places in Ethiopia; Hagere Selam in Degua Tembien sub-district in Tigray Region, and Kofele in Kofele sub-district in Oromia Region. The overall topic is climate changes impacts and adaptations among farmers in these two communities. There are tendencies indicating a future with warmer climate and less rainfall, even this is also in dispute. It has been shown that that the majority of farmers have experienced negative impacts of climate change. This research argues that most farmers are doing successful adaptation strategies. This is argued amongst others because the impacts of climate changes do not usually lead to increased poverty. On the other hand, there are often clear limitations to adaptations, related to amongst others economy and access to information, labor and land. Some of the most common adaptation strategies and coping mechanisms are crop diversification, mixing of crop cultivation and livestock breeding, tree planting, taking off-farm work, soil and water conservation, selling of assets, and use of new or suitable seed varieties. Education, wealth, age, household size, gender of head of household, and access to credit are among the factors that might contribute to explain different levels of adaptive capacity within these two communities.