Journal of Climate Change and Pollution

ABSTRACT

Food crop production by small-holder farmers in Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change, given high dependence on rainfall coupled with limited adaptive capacity. In Ethiopia, small-holder farmers contribute about 85% of national stable food requirements particularly maize, wheat’s, Degussa, and others crop. This paper attempted to establish levels of food security in each of the three agro-ecological zones of Ethiopia, and evaluated the current adaptive measures of rain-fed Agriculture and small-holder farmers against climate change risks. The challenges farmers are facing in adapting to the change risks were identified and livelihood vulnerability assessed. The findings indicate that rain-fed Agriculture and small-holder farmers in Ethiopia are highly vulnerable to weather related shocks which impact greatly on their food production; and that the levels of vulnerability vary across gender and per agro-ecological zone. After the evaluation of scenarios including staple food crop yields (maize), the authors conclude that most rain-fed small-holder farmers in Ethiopia (about 85%) are facing considerable hardships in adapting to the changing climate, which in turn, undermines their contribution to food security. While efforts by government have been made to assist farmers towards climate change adaptation, there still remains many challenges to achieve the desired outcomes. Most farmers (45%) are unable to afford certain alternatives, such as those of agro-forestry or conservation. Difficulties in accessing markets, poor road infrastructure, fluctuating market prices, high costs and late deliveries of farming in-puts were found to be among the major challenges that farmers are facing in Ethiopia. There are also no systematic early warning systems in place against natural hazards and disasters. This makes farming a difficult undertaking in Ethiopia

Keywords: Small Hold Farmers; Adaptation; Rain Dependent; Natural Hazards