Smallholder Farmers’ Perception and Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change and Variability in Ankesha Guagusa District of Awi Zone, North Western Ethiopia

Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for rural communities in Ethiopia which is highly sensitive to Climate change and variability. Farmers should adapt and their decision to adapt depends on their perception to climate change and variability and other socio-economic factors. The main objective of this study was to assess smallholder farmers’ perception, identifying the major adaptation strategies and determinant factors that affect farmers’ choices of adaptation to climate change and variability in Ankesha Guagusa district, Awi Zone, Ethiopia. Descriptive statistics were employed to assess farmers’ socio- demographic characteristics, perceptions and adaptation measures. A Multi-Nominal Logit model (MNL) was also used to identify the determinant factors that influence the choice of farmer’s adaptation strategies. The study finds that, most of the local farmers perceived decreasing in the amount of seasonal rainfal1, increasing in temperature, increased frequency of drought and flood. In response to these impacts of climate change and variability; farmers used crop diversification, improved and early maturing crops, planting trees and engaging on off-farm activities, credit and taking loss as the most dominant adaptation strategies. The MNL regression analysis showed that agro ecology of woina dega (AEZWD), age, sex, education, family size, farm size, farming experience, income, livestock holding (TLU), access to extension services, credit, access to irrigation and water harvesting schemes and Perception to climate change and variability were the key determinant factors influencing farmers’ choice of adaptation strategies to climate change and variability. farmers’ adaptive capacity is hindered by different factors and focusing on addressing these factors efforts should be made to develop and implement integrated policies and strategies that enhance access to income and farm inputs, agricultural extension services, livelihood diversification, farmers’ awareness on climate change required to build resilience of communities and promote a transition to climate-smart agriculture. Keywords: Climate Change and variability, Perceptions, Adaptation Strategies, Determinants, MNL model, Ethiopia DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/58-02 Publication date: August 31st 201