Determinants of climate variability adaptation strategies: A case of Itang Special District, Gambella Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopia is vulnerable to climate variability and extremes due to its location and low adaptive capacity. It is, therefore, crucial to assess the determinants of various adaptation strategies of rural poor to minimize the effects of climate variability on their livelihood and national economy. The study thus, appraises determinant factors of farmers' adaptation strategies to climate variability in purposely selected from kir and Eliya kebeles in Itang Special district, Ethiopia. Data were collected from 188 randomly selected sample households using pretested questionnaire survey. The supplementary data were collected from purposely selected eight key informants, (xxxx) focus group participants. The rainfall and temperature data (1983–2016) were also collected from Ethiopia's National Meteorological Agency (NMA). The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The main climate variability adaptation responses were found to be changing farming calendar, collecting fruits and roots, flood recession farming, and growing short maturing crop varieties were widely implemented climate variability adaptation responses. The result shows that gender, age, family size, education level, livestock holding, access to extension, access to information and access to weather information have statistically significant (P < 0.01, 0.05, and 0.1) impact on the choice of adaptation responses. We recommend that climate variability and extremes risk could be reduced through strengthening the provision of extension and basic infrastructure services and facilitates.