THE CONTRIBUTION OF INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AT QABER WATERSHED OF BACHO DISTRICT, SOUTHWEST ETHIOPIA

Climate change is one of the major challenges which threatens the social, economic, and environmental aspects of global communities. As a response, integrated watershed management practice has emerged as a key climate change adaptation strategy. The objective of this study was to investigate the contribution of integrated watershed management practices for climate change adaptation at Qaber watershed of Bacho District, Southwest Ethiopia. The study utilized cross-sectional and longitudinal survey research design with mixed approach to attain the intended objectives. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data were collected by using questionnaires, key informant interview and focus group discussion, wheras secondary data were collected from published and unpublished documents. Through simple random sampling technique, 336 respondents were selected for questionnaires from three rural kebeles of the district. In addition, long term temperature and rainfall data were obtained from National Metrelogical Agency of Ethiopia. The colleted data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, binary regression model, Mann-Kendall (MK) and Sen’s slope. The Mann-Kendall (MK) trend test and Sen's slope estimator results revealed that there was a minor decreasing tendency in inter-annual rainfall amount at a rate of 38.83mm per decade,and the temperature data also showed that there was increasing trends for the annual average, maximum and minimum temperature in the study area. The rate of increase for mean annual, maximum, and minimum temperature was as 0.027 ◦C, 0.061 ◦C, and 0.0063◦C per year respectively. Various integrated watershed management practices were implemented to adapt the changing climate in the area. The integrated watershed management activities in the area played a crucial role in decreasing the risks associated with climate change including floods, soil erosion, diseases of crops and animals, and land degradation as pecived by respondents. The binary logistic regression model showed gender, age, education status,land size, acess to extension contact ,income and credit access are the most important factors that influence climate change adaptation startegies of the farmers in the area. Conclusively, improving farmers' understanding through training and awareness programs is essential for sustainable implementation of integrated watershed practices to increase the community’s adaptive strategies to climate change impacts.