Vol. 6 No. 2 (2024): Smallholder Farmers’ Climate Change Adaptation Practices and their Determinants in Negelle Arsi District, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Climate change presents an unavoidable challenge that disproportionately affects developing nations. In Ethiopia, the livelihoods of smallholder farmers heavily depend on rain-fed agriculture, making them particularly vulnerable to recurrent droughts and unpredictable rainfall patterns. Therefore, adaptation mechanisms are crucial for addressing the impacts of climate change. This study aims to assess the climate change adaptation practices of smallholder farmers and their determinants in the Negelle Arsi district. A cross-sectional survey design with a mixed-methods approach was employed. Both primary and secondary data were collected, utilizing systematic random sampling to identify the sampled households. Primary data were gathered through a survey questionnaire involving 184 households, supplemented by four focus group discussions and four key informant interviews. Secondary data relevant to the study were obtained from both published and unpublished sources. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, chi square tests, and a multivariate probit model. The results revealed that the dominant adaptation strategies employed by smallholder farmers in the study area included improved crop varieties, adjusting planting dates, crop diversification, terracing, and reserving crop residues. The maximum likelihood estimates from the multivariate probit model indicated that the probabilities of households adopting these adaptation measures were 93%for improved crop varieties, 85% for adjusting planting dates, 57% for crop diversification, 90% for practicing terracing, and 91% for reserving crop residues. The implementation of these strategies varied by agro-ecological location. Significant factors influencing the choice of climate adaptation strategies included education, family size, access to communication devices, farm size, extension services, membership in social organizations, and agro-ecological location. Consequently, future policy should focus on raising awareness among farmers and extension workers regarding the determinants of climate change adaptation. Additionally, it is essential to implement location-specific measures that are appropriate for both current and projected climate conditions