Factors affecting farmers’ coping and adaptation strategies to perceived trends of declining rainfall and crop productivity in the central Rift valley of Ethiopia

Zenebe Adimassu,Aad Kessler

doi:10.1186/s40068-016-0065-2

Abstract

Farmers apply several and often different farmer-specific strategies to cope with and adapt to the perceived trend of declining rainfall and crop productivity. A better understanding of the factors affecting farmers’ coping and adaptation strategies to counteract both trends is crucial for policies and programs that aim at promoting successful rainfed agriculture in Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to identify the major factors that affect farmers’ coping and adaption strategies to rainfall variability and reduction in crop yield in the central Rift valley (CRV) of Ethiopia. A survey was conducted among 240 randomly selected farmers within six kebeles in the CRV using structured and pretested questionnaires. Multivariate probit (MVP) regression model was used to identify these key factors that affect farmers’ coping and adaptation strategies to the declining trends of rainfall and crop productivity. Generally, this study identified several factors that affect farmers’ choices of certain strategies, which can be grouped in four major factors: (1) livestock and landholdings, (2) availability of labour and knowledge, (3) access to information, and (4) social and cultural factors. Farmers with better resources, labour, knowledge, access to information and social capital had better coping and adaptation strategies to the declining rainfall and crop productivity. To conclude, improving farmers’ asset accumulation, access to information and knowledge are needed. Moreover, strengthening social capital and labour sharing institutions in the CRV is crucial to increase farmers’ capacities to cope with and adapt to environmental changes such as rainfall and crop yield variability.

Highlights

Farmers apply several and often different farmer-specific strategies to cope with and adapt to the perceived trend of declining rainfall and crop productivity
The most important coping strategies applied by farmers in the central Rift valley (CRV) include selling livestock, accessing relief aid Adimassu and Kessler Environ Syst Res (2016) 5:13 from governmental organizations (GOs) and/or Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), obtaining credits, and migration to towns and more productive areas (Adimassu et al 2014)
Livestock holding was positively and significantly correlated with farmers who changed crop varieties as adaptation strategy to rainfall variability

Summary

Introduction

Farmers apply several and often different farmer-specific strategies to cope with and adapt to the perceived trend of declining rainfall and crop productivity. The most important adaptation strategies include changing crop varieties, adjusting planting date, dry plowing/planting, diversifying income through off-farm activities and expansion of Enset (Ensete ventricosum), Chat (Catha edulis) and Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) (Adimassu et al 2014). These all strategies are crucial to cope with the shortage of food and income resulted from the variability of rainfall and crop productivity. Eucalyptus released toxic allelochemicals into the soil system and reduced germination and growth of crops (Lisanework and Michelson 1993) This indicates that not all coping/adaptation strategies are environmentally friendly. This suggests the need to create awareness among farmers and other stakeholders on the advantages and disadvantages of coping and adaptation strategies

Objectives

Methods

Results