Molla Esubalew, Melka Yoseph, Desta Getnet
Department of Environmental Science, College of Natural Resource and Environmental Science, Oda Bultum University, Chiro, Ethiopia.
Department of Natural Resource Economics and Policy, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
Heliyon. 2023 Jul 20;9(8):e18514. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18514. eCollection 2023 Aug.
Climate change and related extreme events have become global challenges in ensuring sustainable development. This affects water availability and agricultural production, particularly in developing countries. This study explored the factors affecting farmers' adaptation mechanisms to climate change in different agro-ecological zones of the Bure Zuria district of northwestern Ethiopia. A household survey, focus group discussion, key informant interviews, and observations were used to acquire primary data on farmers' socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, adaptation strategies and potential barriers. About 190 randomly selected households from different agro-ecologies were included in this study. Moreover, reports and published sources were used to acquire secondary data. Data were analyzed using a multinomial logit regression model and descriptive statistics. The results indicated that soil and water conservation practices (26.7%) were the main adaptation responses in highland agro-ecology. In contrast, supplementary feeding for livestock (56%) was the main adaptation response to the adverse effects of climate extremes in lowland agro-ecology. Farmers identified land scarcity (25.84%) and shortage of water for irrigation (28.57%) as major barriers to adaptation in the highland and lowland agro-ecologies, respectively. In addition, agro-ecology, education level, age, active labor, number of livestock (TLU), off-farm income, frequency of extension contacts, credit access, and market access were decisive factors affecting farmers' adaptation mechanisms to withstand extreme climatic events. In conclusion, soil and water conservation practices are more practiced in highland areas than in lowland areas. Because the steepness of farmlands and erodible soils increase farmers' vulnerability to flood hazards in highland areas than in lowland areas. It is suggested that investigations on the climate change-induced gender-differentiated impacts shall be conducted to design all-inclusive and effective responses.
气候变化及相关极端事件已成为确保可持续发展的全球性挑战。这影响了水资源供应和农业生产，在发展中国家尤为如此。本研究探讨了影响埃塞俄比亚西北部布尔祖里亚区不同农业生态区农民适应气候变化机制的因素。通过家庭调查、焦点小组讨论、关键信息人访谈和观察来获取关于农民社会经济和人口特征、适应策略及潜在障碍的原始数据。本研究纳入了从不同农业生态区随机选取的约190户家庭。此外，还利用报告和已发表资料获取二手数据。数据采用多项logit回归模型和描述性统计进行分析。结果表明，土壤和水土保持措施（26.7%）是高地农业生态区的主要适应对策。相比之下，在低地农业生态区，对牲畜进行补充喂养（56%）是应对极端气候不利影响的主要适应对策。农民分别将土地稀缺（25.84%）和灌溉用水短缺（28.57%）确定为高地和低地农业生态区适应的主要障碍。此外，农业生态区、教育水平、年龄、劳动力、牲畜数量（热带牲畜单位）、非农收入、推广接触频率、信贷获取和市场准入是影响农民抵御极端气候事件适应机制的决定性因素。总之，高地地区比低地地区更多地采取土壤和水土保持措施。因为与低地地区相比，高地地区农田的坡度和易侵蚀土壤增加了农民遭受洪水灾害的脆弱性。建议开展关于气候变化导致的性别差异影响的调查，以制定全面有效的应对措施。
