Observed climate trends and farmers’ adaptation strategies in Dendi District, West Shewa Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

Climate change has adversely affected the livelihoods of people in developing countries where a large proportion of the population is heavily dependent on agriculture. Indigenous people need to perceive that the climate is changing or likely could change, and they need to pay sufficient attention to this perception to take action. Understanding farmers’ perceptions about climate change and adaptation strategies can help support their efforts and develop interventions more suited to the local context. Hence, this study aimed to elucidate how farmers perceive climate change in their locality and how they adapt to observed changes in the Dendi district, West Shewa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather information on farmers’ perceptions of climate change, observed threats, and adaptation practices to observed changes from 144 sample farmers. Key informant interviews and focus group discussions were also conducted to gather more insights into trends in climate change, threats, and adaptation practices in the area. Additionally, climate data of the district from 1990 to 2021 were analyzed to assess trends in temperature and rainfall in the study area. The findings of the study revealed an increasing trend in maximum temperatures in the study area, while the mean minimum temperatures slightly decreased. Rainfall trends have significantly decreased over the past three decades, with seasonal rainfall also declining. The majority of the respondents replied that they perceived an increase in temperature and a decrease in rainfall. Specifically, 79.2% of the respondents perceived rising temperatures, while 16.7% perceived a decrease in temperature. Additionally, 77.1% of respondents replied that there was a decrease in both the amount and distribution of rainfall. The socio-economic analysis reveals that weather events in the study area vary in frequency across agroecologies. The major events identified include prolonged droughts with late-onset or early offset of rains (84.5%), floods/excessive moisture (71.6%), crop disease (70.8%), and erosion (56.9%). As rain-fed crop production relies on the timely and normal distribution of rainfall, these events significantly disrupt agricultural operations, particularly in mid-altitude and lowland areas. The impacts, sometimes, include total crop loss, reduced yields, smaller seeding areas, delayed planting and maturity, and increased crop pests. Respondents reported various climate change adaptation practices, including adjusting cropping calendars, changing crop types, diversifying livelihoods, and adopting improved crop varieties and irrigation. However, the effectiveness of these practices was limited by resource and skill constraints. To enhance resilience, it is crucial to provide reliable climate information, offer training on climate-smart agriculture, ensure access to updated climate data, and promote improved irrigation methods.