Impacts of climate variability on the vegetable production of urban farmers in the Addis Ababa metropolitan area: Nexus of climate-smart agricultural technologies

Abstract

This study was aimed at examining the impacts of climate variability on vegetable production and nexus climate-smart agriculture technologies. The study was conducted on vegetable farmers along the little Akaki River in Addis Ababa. Field data was collected from 156 randomly selected vegetable farmers via semi-structured survey questions. Climate data from 1996 to 2020 was analysed using qualitative and quantitative descriptive statistics methods. The results of monthly and annual precipitation variability indicated a coefficient of variation (CV) ranging from 23% to 73% and 49% to 98%, respectively. Seasonally, CV ranges between 34% and 99%, 50%–97%, and 20%–84% in Belg, Bega, and Kiremt, respectively. The results of respondents' perceptions indicated an increasing trend in temperature and precipitation variability. Vegetable urban farmers perceived an increase in the frequency of floods and rain falls (44.9%), drought frequency (13.5%), temperature (89.7%), and a decrease in the trend of vegetable productivity (86.5%) as the major impacts of climate variability. However, changing vegetable varieties (31.4%), early planting (26.9%), mixed farming (26.6%), late planting (5.1%), using agrochemicals (4.5%), and agroforestry (1.9%) are the major on-farm climates where smart agriculture technologies were identified for adaptation. Shift occupation (37.8%), nonadaptation (36.5%), and non-farm activations (24.4%) were employed by the farmers as off-farm adaptation options. In addition, vulnerability analysis indicated that the absence of direct access to the market, inadequate access to weather information, land fragmentation, and tenure complications are the major determinants of being vulnerable. Finally, high precipitation and temperature variability affect vegetable productivity.

Practical Implications

Climate extreme phenomena are substantial pressures on urban agricultural production systems in risk-prone cities, where climate service challenges are rising globally (Sanfo et al., 2022, Kifle et al., 2022, Ebissa and Desta, 2022); besides, the requirement to produce more urban vegetables to feed residents, an ever-increasing and vulnerable group, is undeniable (Martinez et al., 2022). Additionally, climate variability and change threaten urban and pre-urban farmers’ livelihoods and agricultural farming, particularly in semi-arid areas in Africa (Magesa et al., 2023). Furthermore, 64 % of the world’s poorest people lived in sub-Saharan Africa in 2020, which strongly requires the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals 1 (no poverty), 2 (zero hunger) and 11 (make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable) in the region (Magesa et al., 2023, Chitakira and Ngcobo, 2021, Degefu et al., 2021c).

Thus, cities are exposure to compatible climate information services is vital for anticipating climate variability risks in vegetable production, optimizing the training of practitioners (urban farmers), and adapting to climate change through climate smart agriculture technologies (Degefu et al., 2021a, Chitakira and Ngcobo, 2021, Kifle et al., 2022). Moreover, it is compulsory to ascertain and analyze impact insights and their origins, vulnerabilities, and adaptive potential among urban farmers before beginning with the exercise of any given climate service to understand the demands of urban vegetable farmers and the possible exploitation of nexuses (Dendir and Simane, 2021).

Conversely, in Ethiopia, the agriculture sector is identified as one of the sectors most vulnerable to climate change and vulnerability (Kifle et al., 2022). On top of these, the productivity and the concern of urban agriculture (vegetable production) is highly ignored and reduced the potential, productivity and suitability of ecological land (Kifle et al., 2022, Degefu et al., 2021b, Degefu et al., 2021c). Besides, the combined effect of climate variability, population pressure, and urban ecosystem dynamics reduced urban vegetable production and leads the farming community into a viscous of poverty circle and worsens food security (Amberber et al., 2020, Degefu et al., 2021c).

However, previous studies have revealed that the effectiveness of climate information services on urban ecosystems depends on (i) the ability of urban farmers to access, understand, and overcome institutional constraints (Kiplagat et al., 2022) (ii) the capacity of end-users to translate the information and knowledge into effective decision-making options (Dendir and Simane, 2021), and (iii) the capacity of end-users to translate the information and knowledge into effective decision-making options (Martinez et al., 2022). To that end, the disparity between the awareness of urban farmers and policymakers towards the benefits of CSA and their practices implies that indigenous knowledge-based research on CSA farming and land management technology should be conducted. Therefore, it is crucial to appreciate the practices and adoption of CSA at the city level to realise triple-win outcomes: increased productivity, enhanced resilience, and mitigating climate variability and change.