Agriculture and Climate Change Ethiopia Farmers Find Climate-Smart Ways to Beat Erratic Weather

 Impact of climate change on agriculture

Agriculture is the most significant sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, but climate change and weather data are expected to negatively influence it. Climate change would undoubtedly result in significant welfare losses, particularly for smallholders whose primary source of income is agriculture.  Climate extremes are already impacting social, economic, and environmental systems, while future changes resulting from further warming will pose new concerns.

The study's findings show that annual rainfall variability has a negative influence on the combined riskiness of all crop portfolios at a household level, but seasonal rainfall variation has a less consistent impact. Even when intercrop relationships are considered, farmers are more inclined to choose less hazardous crops with lower returns.

Impacts on pests and pathogens

Climate change will likely increase the populations and ranges of some agricultural pests and water-borne pathogens, necessitating changes in crop and livestock breeding practices, more assertive adoption of pest management practices, and the introduction of new inputs to combat more virulent challenges.

Nutritional Consequences Increased atmospheric CO2 has been proven to diminish crop nutrient content, posing nutritional issues. On the other hand, warming surface and groundwater increase the incidence of waterborne bacteria that cause diarrhea.

Ethiopian smallholder farmers have begun using decreased tillage or adding manure to the soil data as climate mitigation strategies. Through the preservation of soil organic matter, these methods can sequester carbon.

As a result, soil water-holding capacity rose, which is important in dry areas and stabilizes crop yields. Farmers have also begun to implement climate adaptation practices such as:

•         Adoption of local livestock breeds

•         Decrease of livestock numbers to controllable herd sizes

•         Increased fertilizer application

•         Planting barley instead of wheat

•         Boundary planting

 

 

•     Introduction of desho grass strips, an Ethiopian indigenous grass

•         Early sowing of crops and sustainable livelihoods

•         Storing products in good years to compensate for bad years

•         seeking out alternative sources of income

According to a study published in the Climate Policy journal, these climate adaptation and agriculture data techniques were likely prompted by changes in weather patterns seen by farmers.

The researchers, led by Diana Feliciano of the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom, investigated how adaptation and mitigation practices were implemented in smallholder farms in Ethiopia. They calculated GHG emissions related to mitigation techniques identified strategies, hurdles, and enablers for implementation.

Cost-effective climate mitigation

Twenty-five small-scale farmers were chosen and questioned about land-use and land-management techniques. The Mitigation Strategies Tool (MOT) was used to calculate GHG emissions, identify mitigation and co-benefits, and serve as a forum for learning and information exchange among various stakeholders.

In Ethiopia, the MOT was utilized to quickly assess land and livestock management methods' contributions to GHG emissions and carbon capture and storage. It was also utilized to bridge the gap between research and practice, allowing for better information transfer and learning.

Carbon dioxide emissions are measured in kilograms of co2 equivalents per hectare (kg CO2eq ha1) and kilograms of dioxide equivalent per kilogram of the product (kg CO2eq kg1).

Synthetic fertilizer application resulted in GHG emissions ranging from 0.5 to 2.6 t CO2eq ha1 in wheat, 0.3 to 3.6 t CO2eq ha1 in barley, and 0.5 to 8.3 t CO2eq ha1 in potatoes. Among the farmers surveyed, CO2 emissions from animal production ranged from 6.1 to 31.4 t CO2eq ha1.

All of the farmers in the research noted that weather patterns have changed. Reduced rainfall, improved warmth, reduced cloudiness, and more sunlight hours were all stated estimated by weather forecasting. Farmers in the poll also highlighted increasing weather volatility and changing patterns.

According to some farmers, climate change has also resulted in a lack of water and the disappearance of water springs and an increase in crop diseases, lower agricultural yields, and delays at the beginning of the crop season.

The research area's farmers' land tenure security (Tula watershed region, Doyogena district, Kembata Tembaro Region, Ethiopia's Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region) could explain why they are adopting more sustainable farming practices.

 

The decision to apply manure, crop diversification, flood control, soil conservation, and agroforestry are more likely on owner-cultivated plots than on rental plots, according to a 2018 report by Hailemariam Teklewold.

Through dialogue with farmers and statistics on the organic matter content supplied to the soil, barriers and enabling variables must be investigated. These activities aid in soil conservation, which is important for adapting to climate change in semi-arid areas.

MOT can be used in the future to enhance the discovery of successful climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies by facilitating knowledge exchange between practitioners and researchers in Ethiopia and other developing countries with limited data.

Ethiopian adaption techniques to climate change

Adaptation to climate change and weather forecasting is the modification of natural or anthropogenic systems in response to present or anticipated climatic stressors or their impacts, which mitigates harm or maximizes benefits, whereas mitigation refers to minimizing climate change through lowering GHG emissions.  According to a study, poor building designs, farming, food insecurity, low income, forestry, and traditional solid-waste management systems have harmed developing countries' ability to adapt and mitigate climate change. Adaptation to the effects of climate change in general, particularly the agricultural sector, is a well-known occurrence. The agricultural industry can adapt if technological, resource and management improvements are implemented swiftly.

Adapting to climate change will necessitate adjustments and modifications at all levels, from the local to the national and international. To cope with future climate stress, communities must increase their resilience by adopting appropriate technology while utilizing traditional knowledge and diversifying their livelihoods. Traditional wisdom and local coping techniques must be utilized with community and government actions. Governments and non-governmental organizations must consider climate change in their budget planning at all levels of decision-making to enable effective adaptation strategies.

Farmers adjust crop mix, planting dates, and various agronomic procedures in response to climate change to maximize profit. Crop choice is a major example of farmer adaptation techniques, where a certain crop will be an ideal option based on the consequences of a warmer climate. In addition, 

Adaptation, according to the IPCC's Third Assessment Report, can mitigate the negative effects of climate change while enhancing positive effects, but it will come at a cost and will not prevent all harm. It is also claimed that human and natural systems will adapt spontaneously, and that planned adaptation can complement autonomous adaptation. On the other hand, adaptation to human systems has more alternatives and incentives than adaptation to safeguard natural systems.