Farmers’ Perception and Adaptation to Climate Change: Heckman’s Two Stage Sample Selection Model

Abstract

This study examines farmers’ perception and adaptation to climate change in Guto Gidda and Sasigga districts of Oromia Regional National State in Ethiopia. Primary data for the study were collected from 142 farm household heads drawn from five kebeles of Sasiga district and four kebeles of Guto Gida district through structured questionnaire. Heckman two stage sample selection model was employed to examine farmers’ perception and adaptation strategies to climate change. Estimation result shows that farmers level of education (p=0.040), household nonfarm income (p=0.030), livestock ownership (0.001), extension on crop and livestock (p=0.000), household’s credit accessibility (p=0.001), perception of increase in temperature (p=0.000) and perception of decrease in precipitation (p=0.000) significantly affect the adaptation to climate change. Similarly, farmers’ perception of climate change was affected significantly by information on climate (p=0.000), farmer to farmer extension (p=0.009), local agro \–ecology (p=0.002), number of relatives in development group (p=0.015) and perception of change in duration of season (p=0.002).