Vulnerability of Smallholder Farmers to Climate Change Across Agroecologies in Jemma Sub Basin, Ethiopia

Ethiopia is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its economic reliance on rain-fed agriculture. Identifying the differences in vulnerability levels within systems is crucial to propose appropriate and effective adaptation options. Thus, this study examines the agroecology-based vulnerability of smallholders’ livelihoods to climate change and variability in the Jemma sub-basin. A total of 366 sample households were selected based on the proportion to sample size to collect primary data across three agroecologies, and climatic data from 1981 to 2022 were accessed from the Ethiopian National Meteorological Institute. The study result revealed significant variation in smallholders’ vulnerability across agroecological zones. Lowland agroecology exhibited the highest vulnerability score (0.0610) due to its high exposure (0.6613), sensitivity (0.6723), and low adaptive capacity (0.5706). In contrast, midland agroecology was relatively the least vulnerable (-0.0768) due to its low exposure (0.51270), sensitivity (0.5746), and high adaptive capacity as compared to others. Highland agroecology had an intermediate score in all vulnerability components. The results revealed that vulnerability differences were attributable to household characteristics, lack of infrastructure, low livelihood diversification, and lack of available technologies. In light of the findings, it is suggested that resilience-building adaptation interventions like the expansion of small-scale irrigation, the establishment of effective microfinance institutions, timely information and agricultural inputes, improved extension support, engagement in non-farm sources of income, expansion of infrastructure have to be promoted thereby to increase the adaptive capacity of subsistence rainfed-dependent farmers to withstand the vagaries of the climate change/ variability risks.