Journal of Climate Change and Pollution

ABSTRACT

This Study aims to assess climate change's impact on crop production in Wera Woreda Halaba Zone Southern Ethiopia. Primary data is obtained from households of sample kebeles and secondary data obtained from National Meteorological Agency, Zone and Woreda Agricultural office. Climate data from 1995-2021obtained from NMA and production per hectare of main cereal crops in the study area obtained from Woreda Agricultural office. Mixed research approach employed in data collection to data analysis. Questionnaire, key informant interview, FGD and observation were used as data collection methods. The study area is purposively selected and the sample sizes were determined by using Kothari sample size determination formula. 167 household heads were selected from four Kebeles using systematic random sampling. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to analysis the data. Frequency, percentage and mean were used. Correlation was employed for continuous data at 5% of significance level. The qualitative data was discussed in narration form to substantiate the study. The result of the analysis shows that the average maximum and minimum temperature increased at the rate of 0.2647 0c and 0.3266 0cwhich is higher than the national average 0.18 0c. On the other hand, rainfall decreased by 16.48 mm per year. The precipitation concentration index (PCI) value of 11 shows high seasonal concentration of rainfall in certain months per decades. The long term mean monthly rainfall shows moderate coefficient of variation with CV value of 24.37%. the finding of the study also indicate that decrease in the maize yield is 0.55 Q/ha/ year and 5.5Q/ha/per decade, decrease in the Teff yield is 0.68 Q/ha/per year and 6.8 Q/ha/ decade, decrease the Boloke at the rate of 0.64 Q/ha/year and 6.4Q/ha/decade, decrease Dagussa yield at the rate of 0.61 Q/ha/year and 6.1Q/ha/ decade and pepper at the rate of 0.92 Q/ha/year and 9.2Q/ha/decade respectively. In the study area women and young girls and people with disabilities were most vulnerable group for climate change. Women and young girls walk more than 2hrs for search of water during continuous dry seasons. In response, farmers had adopted different adaptation strategies like; crop diversification; adjusting crop planting dates, selling assets, being responses to involved in off- farm activities, and practicing mixed farming, which are the most adaptive response to climate change in the study area. The local farmers should build water harvesting, adaptive livestock breeding, fodder production on small land, selection and management system to minimize these challenges.

Keywords: Crop Production; Climate Change; Adaptation; Rain Fall and Temperature