The effects of adaptation to climate change on income of households in rural Ethiopia

Melaku Berhe,Catherine M. H. Keske,Tewodros Tadesse,Shunji Oniki,Dana Hoag,Girmay Tesfay,Masaru Kagatsume

doi:10.1186/s13570-017-0084-2

Abstract

Climate change is one of the most serious impediments to agricultural prosperity in Ethiopia, especially where livestock is concerned. In particular, rural farming communities in the drylands of the Afar region are severely exposed to the impacts of climate change, with stark reminders from repeating droughts followed by crop failure and livestock decimation. Locals have a long history of applying adaptation measures to maintain their sustenance. However, a growing literature challenges whether these traditional methods can continue to sustain local livelihoods. This study identifies how pastoral, semi-pastoral, agro-pastoral and mixed-farming communities in Afar perceive and adapt to climate change and whether these practices have brought about any improvement in farm income. A panel data set of five years was gathered using structured questionnaires from a sample of 313 households. Household heads pointed out indicators to identify climate-related stress such as erratic rainfall, drought, temperature change, drying of water sources, prevalence of diseases and lack of human and livestock feed. A fixed effects quantitative model on the panel data was estimated to verify the effect of adaptation strategies on income of household heads. We found that the main adaptation strategies that significantly influenced household income levels were forage production (hay and straw), access to water sources, livestock diversification and migration. The implication is that people severely affected by climate change and living in a situation demanding urgent solutions can actively apply various adaptation strategies if the strategies are linked to the creation of sustainable income benefits. Thus, integrated approaches comprising adaptation methods and expected benefits are an important way to induce farming communities to address challenges related to climatic change.

Highlights

The dire effects of climate change have plagued the livelihoods of rural communities in East Africa for generations
This study examines what and how major factors influence the adaptive capacity of rural communities in the Afar region of Ethiopia, including to what extent adaptation methods are applied and which adaptation methods contribute to household income
The significance of inter-dependent decision-making in adaptation and subsequent income is even more pronounced among pastoral, semi-pastoral, agro-pastoral and mixed-farming communities living in drylands regions that are at greater chance of experiencing loss of livestock (Tsegaye et al 2013)

Summary

Introduction

The dire effects of climate change have plagued the livelihoods of rural communities in East Africa for generations. Land degradation attributed to human, drought and climate factors is increasingly threatening the four main agricultural communities: pastorals, semi-pastorals, agropastorals and mixed-farming, especially in the drylands regions of East Africa (Adger et al 2005; Sandford 2006; Stringer et al 2009). Adaptation strategies, such as livestock mobility, diversification, feed purchases and animal restocking, have increasingly become unable to support. His argument emphasizes that settling pastoral communities into permanent locations leads to the provision of basic infrastructure including schools, health services, road accesses, and veterinary services

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Conclusion