Perception and adaptation models of climate change by the rural people of lake Tana Sub-Basin, Ethiopia

Abstract

Agriculture is the most susceptible sector to climate change related hazards. Unusual temperature and rainfall occurrence in terms of amount and distribution usually lead to poor harvest and/or complete crop failure and shortage of pasture and animal feed in Ethiopia. Such extreme conditions ultimately result in drought with a resultant depletion of assets, societal vulnerability, mass migration and loss of life. This research work has been conducted to fill such knowledge gaps of the target population in Lake Tana Sub-Basin. The objectives of the research were to assess the perception of the rural people about climate change and adaptation models. To attain this research objective, both primary and secondary data from different sources were collected. The collected data statistical analyses were done by STATA version 11 computer program. Results of Heckman probit and multinomial logistic regression models revealed that age, educational level, wealth status, agricultural extension services, and distance to the nearest health center are found to be significant for determining climate change adaptation. The farmers ‘perceptions to climate change found to be statistically significant related to those factors such as: marital status, farm size, climate change information access and the level of income generations. The majority of the respondents argued that the strategies and programs of climate change adaptations need further enforcement to implement it fully up to the level of expectations. It is therefore recommended that the legislative bodies and development planners should design strategies and plans by taking into account impacts of declining summer rainfall and increasing temperature on rural livelihoods. Moreover, adverse impacts of climate change and adaptation strategies should be a crosscutting issue.