Vulnerability of Smallholder Farmers to Climate Variability and Adaptation Practices in Southern Part of Ethiopia: The Case of South Ari District

Abstract

Within the changing environment local community tried their best to reduce climate extremes vulnerability by implementing different adaptive practices. Hence, the aim of this study was to examine the vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate variability namely, flood and drought in South Ari district. To gather reliable data, five kebeles were selected from the district using simple random sampling technique. 363 household heads were selected using a systematic sampling method from the five selected kebeles. Besides, primary data was collected from focused group discussions, key informants, and field observations. The linear trend analysis showed an increasing trend of rainfall and temperature in the study site. Integrated vulnerability analysis approach result showed that the three Weyina dega sub-agro ecology zones of the district are vulnerable to climate variability in different ways. Farmland enclosure with trees and growing two different crops on the same plot of farmland at the same season are the new adaptive practices implemented by the local community to reduce soil erosion. The chi-square test result shows that age, level of education, income diversity, number of contacts with developmental agents and access to climate information have a significant relation with the adaptation practices implementation in the study site.