Analysis of Rural Livelihood Challenges and Options under Climate Change Pressure: Case Study from Potato Producer Localities in Awi Zone, Ethiopia

Select Volume / Issue:

• Volume 1,Issue 2,March. 2014

Year:

2014

Type of Publication:

Article

Keywords:

Adaptation, Climate Change, Coping Strategies, Farmers Livelihood

Authors:

Tarekegne, Chalachew; Bernhard, Freyer; Alemayehu, Getachew; Delelegn, Yoseph

Journal:

IJRAS

Volume:

1

Number:

2

Pages:

60-69

Month:

March

ISSN:

2348-–3

Note:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Abstract:

The present study analysed rural livelihood challenges and options under climate change pressures in Gusha Shinkurta locality, Awi Zone, Amhara regional state, Ethiopia using focus group discussion with farmers, interviewing experts and case farmers. The results indicated that farmers are highly affected by climate change (seasonal variation of rainfall, floods, droughts, temperature change, etc.) and their livelihood is constrained by it. It was also found that there are no well-designed mitigation and adaptation strategies to help the farmers to lead decent life. The water harvesting practices applied to avert the problem of drought in the locality were found ineffective. Climate change impacts in the locality were observed by the occurrence of waterborne human diseases, malaria, crop pests, shortage of water resources, animal diseases and scarcity of fodder to feed animals. Potato which is dominantly produced in the locality is highly affected by late blight and rainfall variability. Within these prevailing conditions, it was found that farmers are seeking their own coping strategies including: seasonal migration, dietary pattern shifting, seeking remittances and credits from both formal and informal institutions, and selling their live stocks to buy goods. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen the already existing health and agricultural extension services, educating farmers about mitigation and adaptation of climate change and enabling them to diversify and intensify their livelihood means.

Full text: IJRAS_548-01_Final.pdf [Bibtex]