Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change Trends and Adaptation Strategies in Semiarid Highlands of Eastern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia
This study examined smallholder farmers’ perception about climate change and variability compared with the observed metrological data and their adaptation strategies in response to the perceived impacts of climate change. The multistage sampling method was employed to select 358 rural farmers in Haw...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2019-01-01
|
| Series: | Advances in Meteorology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/3849210 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832549780349255680 |
|---|---|
| author | Hailay Tsigab Kahsay Dawit Diriba Guta Belay Simane Birhanu Tagel Gebrehiwot Gidey |
| author_facet | Hailay Tsigab Kahsay Dawit Diriba Guta Belay Simane Birhanu Tagel Gebrehiwot Gidey |
| author_sort | Hailay Tsigab Kahsay |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examined smallholder farmers’ perception about climate change and variability compared with the observed metrological data and their adaptation strategies in response to the perceived impacts of climate change. The multistage sampling method was employed to select 358 rural farmers in Hawzen and Irob districts located in semiarid highlands of Eastern Tigray, northern Ethiopia. Moreover, areal gridded surface monthly rainfall and temperature data between 1983 and 2015 were collected from National Meteorology Agency of Ethiopia. The results revealed that about 98.56 and 92 percent of farmers perceived a decrease in annual rainfall. In addition, 87 and 90 percent of farmers noticed that temperature was increased in Hawzen and Irob districts, respectively. Harmoniously, the modified Mann–Kendall trend test confirmed that annual rainfall was decreased by 32.38 mm and 121.33 mm during the period of analysis. Furthermore, mean annual temperature increased statistically significant (p<0.001) by about 0.40°C and 0.39°C per decade during the period of analysis cognate with the farmers’ perception. To reduce the perceived impacts of climate change, farmers adopted various farm-level adaptation strategies that vary significantly between the two groups. Soil and water conservation, planting trees, crop varieties, changing crop calendar, biological conservation, and irrigation were among the dominant adaptation strategies, respectively, in the study area. The results of this study provide baseline information for local governments, subsequent researchers, and policy-makers in terms of farmers’ perception of climate change and adaptation strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3a0ee7d470ee41658fa8f439eb1cf65e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-9309 1687-9317 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Advances in Meteorology |
| spelling | doaj-art-3a0ee7d470ee41658fa8f439eb1cf65e2025-02-03T06:08:35ZengWileyAdvances in Meteorology1687-93091687-93172019-01-01201910.1155/2019/38492103849210Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change Trends and Adaptation Strategies in Semiarid Highlands of Eastern Tigray, Northern EthiopiaHailay Tsigab Kahsay0Dawit Diriba Guta1Belay Simane Birhanu2Tagel Gebrehiwot Gidey3Center for Environment and Development Studies, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaCenter for Environment and Development Studies, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaCenter for Environment and Development Studies, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaEnvironment and Climate Research Center, Ethiopian Development Research Institute, P.O. Box 2479, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaThis study examined smallholder farmers’ perception about climate change and variability compared with the observed metrological data and their adaptation strategies in response to the perceived impacts of climate change. The multistage sampling method was employed to select 358 rural farmers in Hawzen and Irob districts located in semiarid highlands of Eastern Tigray, northern Ethiopia. Moreover, areal gridded surface monthly rainfall and temperature data between 1983 and 2015 were collected from National Meteorology Agency of Ethiopia. The results revealed that about 98.56 and 92 percent of farmers perceived a decrease in annual rainfall. In addition, 87 and 90 percent of farmers noticed that temperature was increased in Hawzen and Irob districts, respectively. Harmoniously, the modified Mann–Kendall trend test confirmed that annual rainfall was decreased by 32.38 mm and 121.33 mm during the period of analysis. Furthermore, mean annual temperature increased statistically significant (p<0.001) by about 0.40°C and 0.39°C per decade during the period of analysis cognate with the farmers’ perception. To reduce the perceived impacts of climate change, farmers adopted various farm-level adaptation strategies that vary significantly between the two groups. Soil and water conservation, planting trees, crop varieties, changing crop calendar, biological conservation, and irrigation were among the dominant adaptation strategies, respectively, in the study area. The results of this study provide baseline information for local governments, subsequent researchers, and policy-makers in terms of farmers’ perception of climate change and adaptation strategies.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/3849210 |
| spellingShingle | Hailay Tsigab Kahsay Dawit Diriba Guta Belay Simane Birhanu Tagel Gebrehiwot Gidey Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change Trends and Adaptation Strategies in Semiarid Highlands of Eastern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia Advances in Meteorology |
| title | Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change Trends and Adaptation Strategies in Semiarid Highlands of Eastern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia |
| title_full | Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change Trends and Adaptation Strategies in Semiarid Highlands of Eastern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change Trends and Adaptation Strategies in Semiarid Highlands of Eastern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change Trends and Adaptation Strategies in Semiarid Highlands of Eastern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia |
| title_short | Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change Trends and Adaptation Strategies in Semiarid Highlands of Eastern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia |
| title_sort | farmers perceptions of climate change trends and adaptation strategies in semiarid highlands of eastern tigray northern ethiopia |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/3849210 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hailaytsigabkahsay farmersperceptionsofclimatechangetrendsandadaptationstrategiesinsemiaridhighlandsofeasterntigraynorthernethiopia AT dawitdiribaguta farmersperceptionsofclimatechangetrendsandadaptationstrategiesinsemiaridhighlandsofeasterntigraynorthernethiopia AT belaysimanebirhanu farmersperceptionsofclimatechangetrendsandadaptationstrategiesinsemiaridhighlandsofeasterntigraynorthernethiopia AT tagelgebrehiwotgidey farmersperceptionsofclimatechangetrendsandadaptationstrategiesinsemiaridhighlandsofeasterntigraynorthernethiopia |