Assessing the farmers perception of climate variability and change: A case study of Miesso-Assebot Plain, Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Assessment of farmers’ perception and adaptation mechanisms at local level has enormous advantages in Ethiopia, where the driver of the economy is agriculture. This study was conducted to assess the perceptions of farmers to climate change and increased climate variability, and to identify the potential adaptation options. Most farmers noted an increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation in the last fifty years. The farmers’ perception of increasing temperature was in accordance with the statistical climate data record; however, the farmers could not differentiate between consistent changes in climate and yearly rainfall fluctuation. Moreover, majority of the farmers were aware of frequent drought occurrence, shift in onset date and early withdrawal of rainfall. As a result, the farmers indicated decreased diversity of cultivated crops, changes in farming practices, new patterns of diseases, crop infestations with new weed species and frequent total crop failures. Furthermore, the majority of the respondents perceived water shortage, great loss of biodiversity and forest resources, and decline in soil fertility as the most serious impact of climate change. Use of different planting dates, on farm soil and water conservation, use of local and early maturing varieties were the major adaptation strategies practiced by farmers to mitigate climate change impacts at Miesso. However, production of drought tolerant cultivars with optimum maturity periods, introduction of new crops, varieties and crop management practices that go in line with the changing climate are recommended to offset climate change impacts on crop production at Miesso-Assebot plain, Eastern Ethiopia. Key words: Climate variability and change, perception, adaptation options, Miesso-Assebot Plain.