THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY ON LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AND COPING STRATEGIES THE CASE OF DAWE KACHEN WOREDA, EAST BALE ZONE, OROMIA, ETHIOPIA

Climate change has direct and indirect impact on livestock production and livestock populations.<br> Livestock is the principal asset of the poor in most pastoral and agro-pastoral communities,<br> though the sector is highly susceptible to extreme climatic events. The vulnerability of livestock<br> to climate variability varies across species based on their adaptive mechanism. a significantly<br> higher number of cattle and sheep death were recorded during drought condition, while the<br> death of goat and camel were eventually low. This study was aim to assess the Impact of Climate<br> variability on Livestock Productivity and coping strategies in Dawe Kachen Woreda, East Bale<br> Zone. The study was used explanatory sequential research design with both qualitative and<br> quantitative approaches and regarding to the data source the study was used both primary and<br> secondary sources through structure and non-structured interview, questionnaire, FGD and<br> observations for cross-checking the information from different sources. from the<br> total1921households identified from sampled four kebeles 331 householders are selected from<br> sample kebeles. The collected data was analysed systematically. The result reviled that, the<br> rainfall sharply dropped around 2000 and then rose again around 2005 and 2010, but these<br> upward trends were not sustained. Such variability can exacerbate vulnerability for communities<br> relying on consistent rainfall for their livelihoods. Whereas, there are significant fluctuations in<br> mean annual temperature, with notable peaks between 2000 and 2005, when the temperature<br> rises to approximately 21°C. However, there are dips, such as in 1996, 2010, and 2018, where<br> the temperature falls below 20°C. final in recent years the temperature seems to have stabilized<br> around 20°C in the last few years (from 2017 to 2022), with a slight increase observed in 2022.<br> Climate variability is having severe impacts on livestock productivity, with reduced grazing land,<br> increased migration, livestock diseases, and water scarcity being the primary challenges. The<br> pastoralists are adopting a range of coping strategies to manage the impacts of climate<br> variability traditional practices like livestock mobility and herd diversification remain prevalent,<br> the increasing reliance on non-pastoral activities such as small businesses and wage labor<br> reflects the changing nature of livelihoods in the region. The study recommended that in the face<br> of declining rainfall and rising temperatures, promoting climate-resilient practices is essential for long-term sustainability.2