Search

Increasing temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns have major consequences for smallholder farmers, especially in the Global South. Our study examined spatial patterns and climatic drivers of farmers' perceptions of climate change, and how these perceptions translated into adaptation actions. We interviewed 56 farmers in southwestern Ethiopia and analyzed ERA5-Land reanalysis climate data from 1971 to 2020. The majority of farmers perceived the recorded temperature increase as well as a decrease and shift in the timing of rainfall. Perceived climate change varied with local climate factors and not with the rate of climate change itself. Farmers' adaptation practices showed associations with local temperature, but not with farmers' perceptions of climate change. Our findings highlight that even if farmers perceive climate change, perceptions are most common in areas where climate action is already urgent, and perceptions may not translate into adaptation. Thus, targeted and timely information and extension programs are crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural forests are crucial for climate change mitigation and adaptation, but deforestation and degradation challenges highly reduce their value. This study evaluates the potential of natural forest carbon stock and the influence of management interventions on enhancing forest carbon storage capacity. Based on forest area cover, a study was conducted in nine purposely selected forest patches across various forest ecosystems. Data on diameter, height, and environmental variables from various forest management approaches were collected and analyzed with R Ver. 4.1. The findings revealed a substantial difference (p.029) in carbon stock between environmental variables and management interventions. The findings revealed a strong connection between environmental variables and the overall pool of carbon stock within forest patches (p.029). Carbon stocks were highest in the Moist‐montane forest ecosystem (778.25 ton/ha), moderate slope (1019.5 ton/ha), lower elevation (614.50 ton/ha), southwest‐facing (800.1 ton/ha) and area exclosures (993.2 ton/ha). Accordingly, natural forests, particularly unmanaged parts, are sensitive to anthropogenic stresses, decreasing their ability to efficiently store carbon. As a result, the study highlighted the importance of sustainable forest management, particularly area exclosures and participatory forest management, in increasing forest carbon storage potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identified the practices of adaptation strategies to climate change in Jimma, Bedelle, Bonga, and Sokorru urban centers using a survey of 384 households, 55 key informant interviews, 4 focus group discussions, and field observations. A cross-sectional study design was employed from 2019 to 2021. The adaptive capacity of municipalities to reduce climate extreme events was rated as poor by the majority (51%), mostly reactive measures (76%). The climate hazards identified in four urban centers were riverine and flash floods, urban heat waves, landslides, and windstorms. The urban households practiced lifestyle modification, reduce paved surfaces, the use of air conditioner, planting trees, and multiple windows. The adaptation strategies practiced by municipalities include the relocation of prone areas, the support of basic amenities, the construction of protection walls, diversion ditches, the clearance of waterways and rivers, greenery, and park development. The adaptation actions were constrained by a lack of awareness, commitment, cooperation and coordination, adaptive capacity, and participation. Gray/physical infrastructures (costly but important) as adaptation actions were hampered by the low municipal capacity. We recommend that urban authorities should incorporate climate change adaptation strategies into urban planning and development proactively to ensure future resilient climate smart urban centers of southwest Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is one of the most serious environmental challenges affecting people all over the world causing widespread agitation and having an impact on economic systems such as agricultural production. Local communities in Madda Walabu District of Bale Zone, Southeast Ethiopia, are heavily dependent on agriculture. In contrast, the agricultural activity of the local community was depressed by threats such as increased temperature, prolonged drought, and changes in rainfall distribution. To mitigate the adverse consequences of climate change, it is important to understand the local knowledge of adaptation and mitigation actions. This research was a look into the climate change adaptation and mitigation in Ethiopia's Madda Walabu District households to survive. The objective of the study was to investigate climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies for the synergy of the communities in the Madda Walabu District. A multistage stratified random sampling procedure and three villages were randomly selected. A total of 150 sample households from the three villages were interviewed. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyse data, and the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was used for analysis. The results showed that most of the respondents have perceived an increase in temperature, fluctuation in the rainy season, and a decrease in the amount of rainfall. The respondents perceived that they are vulnerable to local climate variability. This study also revealed that 78% of the respondents followed different adaptation strategies to climate change, such as irrigation intensification, agroforestry, agronomic, and cultural practices. Adaptation and mitigation measures can be developed by enhancing the adaptive and mitigating capacity of forest-dependent communities. Therefore, awareness creation on climate change, variability, adaptation, and mitigation measures should be considered toward enhancing the adaptive capacity of the local communities in line with providing seasonal weather information. More research in the domain of climate change and mitigation techniques is needed as several statistical results were not as predicted, and the amount of adaptation and mitigation synergies was low. Furthermore, the study's households were predominantly pastoralists, and their climate change adaptation and mitigation strategy for the livestock sector was an issue that needed to be addressed urgently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroforestry is recognized as one of the strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation under the Kyoto protocol. The system has been practiced in Ethiopia for a while by smallholder farmers by incorporating crops with trees providing extensive socio-economic and environmental benefits. This unaccounted benefit of the system needs further and specific study. Thus, this study aimed to examine the resilience of three (homegardens, woodlots, and parkland) traditional agroforestry systems (TAFS) on the basis of biomass carbon accumulation and socio-economic characteristics in Silite district, Southern Ethiopia. Systematic random sampling was employed to collect social and biological data. Height and diameter at breast height (DBH) were measured to determine the biomass carbon stock and a questionnaire was performed for the socio-economic data. The mean differences across the system were analyzed using a post hoc test. Socioeconomic data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the chi-square test. Climate change awareness was perceived almost by half of the respondents, thus the contribution of TAFS to climate change adaptation and mitigation was revealed socio-economically and ecologically. Carbon stock and socio-economic benefits gained from agroforestry systems consist in a great sink of carbon and food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grazing management strategies tend to have different effects on rangeland plant production. Changes in grazing management can, therefore, affect the carbon stock potential of rangelands. Despite rangeland ecosystems being important global sinks for carbon, we know relatively little about the effect of traditional grazing management practices on their potential to store carbon. In this study, we evaluated the carbon stock and change rate of rangelands using three traditional grazing management practices in the semiarid pastoral ecosystem of eastern Ethiopia. By comparing data on vegetation and soil carbon stocks, we found that there was a strong significant difference (p < 0.001) between these different management practices. In particular, the establishment of enclosures was associated with an annual increase in carbon stocks of soil (3%) and woody (11.9%) and herbaceous (57.6%) biomass, when compared to communal open lands. Both enclosure and browsing management practices were found to have the highest levels of soil organic carbon stocks, differing only in terms of the amount of woody and herbaceous biomass. Thus, modest changes in traditional grazing management practices can play an important role in carbon storage and sequestration. Further research is required on a wider range of traditional pastoral management practices across space and time, as understanding these processes is key to combating global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the trends of temperature and rainfall as an evidence of climate change and variability in Jimma city, southwestern Ethiopia. Historical rainfall and temperature data of forty years (1978–2017) obtained from Ethiopian Meteorological Agency and household questionnaire survey (n=150) were used to assess the climate trend of Jimma city. Descriptive statistics have been used to assess people's perceptions towards climate change. Rainfall and temperature variability were analyzed using standard deviations, coefficient of variation (CV), rainfall anomaly index and standard precipitation index. The magnitude of the linear trends is estimated using the Sen's slope estimator, and Mann–Kendall test to check the statistical significance of the trends. Findings revealed that average maximum and minimum temperature showed statistically significant trend. The magnitude of increasing trends of monthly maximum temperature varies between 0.033 and 0.045 °C/year in January and April, respectively. For minimum temperature the magnitude of trends vary between 0.081 °C/year in November and 0.025 °C/year in April. Annual rainfall variability is relatively stable with 11% CV, while monthly rainfall variability was found to be very high in December, January, and February with CV 115, 80, and 75, respectively. The result from household survey shows that 85% perceived the increasing trends of temperature. The community perceived that climate change is having an impact on vector-borne diseases. Our results indicate that climate-borne disease and pests, food insecurity, frequent drought and flooding appear to have a significant relationship with climate change with p value 0.000, 0.029, 0.010, and 0.047, respectively. Thus, it is crucial to plan for climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies to minimize the potential impacts of climate change in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change becomes a widely acknowledged and inevitable global challenge of 21st century. For developing countries like Ethiopia, it intensifies existing challenges of ensuring sustainable development. This study examined factors affecting climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies by taking in Protection Motivation Theory. The study draws on mixed research approach in order to assess the subjective understanding about climate change threats and identify the factors determining responses to climate change. While qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions and interviews, quantitative information was collected using semi structured survey from 296 randomly selected farmers from different agro-ecologies. Qualitative data was dominantly analyzed using content analysis while descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyze quantitative data. Almost all respondents (97%) perceived that climate change is occurring and threatening their wellbeing. Dwindling precipitation, increasing temperature and occurrence of human and animal disease were perceived to represent climate change. From nationally initiated strategies, farmers were found to largely practice soil and water conservation and agricultural intensification, which they perceived less costly and compatible to their level of expertise. The result of binary logistic regression revealed that perceived severity of climate change, perceived susceptibility to climate change threat, perceived own ability to respond, response efficacy and cost of practices predicted farmers motivation to practice climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. Thus, building resilient system should go beyond sensitizing climate response mechanisms. Rural development and climate change adaptation policies should focus on human capital development and economic empowerment which would enable farmers pursue context specific adaptation and mitigation strategies thereby maintain sustainable livelihood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Qualitative study on social protection in the context of national climate action. • Focus on Ethiopia's 'adaptive' or 'climate-smart' productive safety net program. • Analysis based on historical narratives of development and environment in Ethiopia. • Critique of dominant climate discourses as reinforcing the political status quo. • Missed opportunity for social protection to address roots of climate vulnerability. A rights-based approach to 'adaptive social protection' holds promise as a policy measure to address structural dimensions of vulnerability to climate change such as inequality and marginalisation, yet it has been failing to gain traction against production and growth-oriented interventions. Through the lens of Ethiopia's flagship Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP), we trace the role of climate discourses in impeding progress towards socially transformative outcomes, despite the importance of social protection for building resilience. We argue that intertwining narratives of moral leadership and green growth associated with Ethiopia's national climate strategy shape how the PSNP is rendered 'climate-smart'. These narratives, however, are embedded within politics that have historically underpinned the country's drive for modernisation and growth-oriented policies, particularly in dealing with food insecurity. Like pre-existing narratives on development and the environment, they rationalise the presence of a strong central State and its control over natural resources and rural livelihoods. The PSNP is thus conditioned to favour technocratic, productivist approaches to adapting to climate change that may help reproduce, rather than challenge the entrenched politics at the root of vulnerability. Ultimately, this case study demonstrates how climate discourses risk diluting core rights-based dimensions of social protection, contradicting efforts to address the structural dimensions of vulnerability to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Global warming as a result of increased greenhouse gases (GHGs) concentration in the atmosphere is threating the existence of life on earth. Reducing the concentration of such gases with sequestering mechanism on the surface of the land helps to treat the problem. One of such methods is trapping carbon in the form of soil organic carbon (SOC) together with sediments, by implementing sediment trapping practices. Direct field measurements, calculations and laboratory analysis were used. Results: The result shows that sediment storage dams (SSDs) sequestered/trapped ~ 60.97*103 t of sediment with the SOC content ranged from 14 to 87 g kg− 1 and check dams (CDs) trapped 7.8*103 t of sediment with the SOC content ranged from 20 to 290 g kg− 1. In general, the studied SSDs and CDs sequestered ~ 44.68*105 kg of SOC together with ~ 68.8*106 kg of sediment. In this study, SSDs and CDs were found to be important SOC sequestering practices together with sediments. Conclusions: Thus, it is concluded that soil and water conservation structures can be used as carbon sequestering methods to reduce the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere in addition to reducing soil erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]