Abstract
Climate change is one of the greatest environmental threats facing our world in recent decades. As Ethiopia is dependent on rain–fed agriculture, it becomes one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. Therefore, this study analyzed farmers’ agricultural land vulnerability to climate change in four randomly selected kebeles of Dembia woreda (District). The 372 sample respondents were randomly selected. The primary quantitative and qualitative data were collected using household survey, field observation, and interview methods. Accordingly, the study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the data. The rainfall and temperature trends were analyzed using simple linear regression and standardized precipitation index (SPI). Livelihood vulnerability index was used to analyze the levels of rural households’ agricultural land vulnerability to climate change supported with percentages, averages, maximum and minimum values. The results revealed increasing temperature, decreasing rainfall and abnormal precipitation distribution over past 32 years. Likewise, the livelihood vulnerability indices (LVIs) calculated for agricultural land and climatic exposure indicators revealed that households are increasingly vulnerable to climate change risks. For building more climate-resilient community the government in collaboration with stakeholders should enhance apt land management mechanisms and provide training, education, and required agricultural land inputs to the community.
Highlights
Climate change is one of the greatest environmental threats facing our world in recent decades
Scientists in the network of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2007) often use the term for any change in the climate, whether arising naturally or from anthropogenic causes. They define it as a change in the state of the climate that can be identified by changes in the mean and/or the variability of Teshome Environ Syst Res (2016) 5:14 its properties and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer (Fussel and Klein 2005; IPCC 2007)
The analysis found out more unfavorable biophysical contexts in the woreda having increasing exposure and sensitivity of the community to climate change
Summary
The results revealed increasing temperature, decreasing rainfall and abnormal precipitation distribution over past 32 years. The livelihood vulnerability indices (LVIs) calculated for agricultural land and climatic exposure indicators revealed that households are increasingly vulnerable to climate change risks
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call