Climate-smart agriculture and its role in enhancing farm and dietary diversity in the Northwest highlands of Ethiopia

Climate unpredictability and unsustainable farming practices are increasing food insecurity and soil degradation in Ethiopia’s highlands. Yet, the combined effects of climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAPs) on productivity, soil health, and nutrition in smallholder mixed crop-livestock systems remain poorly understood. This study examines how CSAP adoption is associated with synergies between farm diversity and household dietary diversity. A cross-sectional survey of 246 households was conducted across high, mid, and low-altitude zones. Generalized linear models assessed the influence of CSAP adoption and farm diversity on dietary outcomes, measured by Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) and Food Consumption Score (FCS). Results show that agroecological variation significantly influences CSAP uptake, farm diversity, and dietary quality. Mid-altitude households had the most diverse farms (crop diversity = 0.77; livestock = 0.53) and best dietary outcomes (HDDS = 6.6; FCS = 51.6), while CSAP adoption peaked in low-altitude zones (mean = 0.75). Regression models showed that each added crop type increased HDDS by 288%, and each livestock type increased FCS by 119%. Greater CSAP intensity boosted HDDS by 51% and FCS by 31%. These findings highlight the synergistic impact of crop-livestock diversification and CSAP bundles—particularly agroforestry-terracing, small-scale irrigation, legume rotation, and residue retention—on nutrition-sensitive, climate-resilient farming. The study recommends scaling integrated, context-specific CSAP bundles to simultaneously improve food security, soil health, and climate resilience in Ethiopia’s highland farming systems.