Farmers' perceptions of climate variability and its adverse impacts on crop and livestock production in Ethiopia

Abstract

This article explores farmers' perceptions of the manifestations of global change as a whole and of climate variability in particular, and its effects on the agricultural production in selected highland areas of Ethiopia. Primary data was collected using group and individual interviews, complemented by observations and a survey. The study shows that more that eighty percent of farmers felt the various manifestations and effects of climate variability. The study reveals that sex, age, income and educational level are determinant factors of farmers' perceptions on the manifestations and effects of climate variability on crop and livestock production. Farmers' perceptions of change in temperature are cognate with meteorological data analysis. However, their perceptions were found to be in disagreement with meteorological rainfall trends. This research concludes by suggesting realistic and achievable recommendations to enhance the adaptive capacity of farmers to climate extremes and the existing and future physical, biological and epidemiological challenges on crop and livestock production, so that shortfalls on farmers adaptive capacity can be addressed.