ASSESSMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION OF SMALLHOLDER FARMERS. A CASE OF SAWENA WOREDA, EAST BALE ZONE, SOUTH EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract Climate change adaptation is an adjustment made to ecological, human, physical and socioeconomic systems, in response to apparent susceptibility or impacts of climate change. Climate change is expected to further continue in Ethiopia. In the case of developing countries, rural livelihoods became extremely exposed to climate change. The aim of this research is to add to the existing study on climate change adaptation of small holder farmers. This study employs a mixedmethods research approach to comprehensively assess the climate change adaptation of smallholder farmers in the East Bale zone Sawena woreda, South East Ethiopia. This approach combines quantitative and qualitative methodologies to provide a holistic understanding of the complex issues at play. It was examined how farm households’ decision to implement a set of adaptation options brings long run response to climate change. The study used both primary and secondary data sources. For this study simple random sampling techniques was employed to select respondents. However, simple random sampling methods will be applied to identify respondents for the questionnaire survey. Descriptive statistics such as mean, percentages, frequencies, chisquare test, and standard deviations was used in the process of identifying and describingthe status of adaptation strategies to climate change and the constraints facing farmers not to adapt and the imapct of adaptation strategies. Depending on the nature of the objectives of this study, different statistical and econometric models was used. These are Multivariate probit model, Measurement of Food Security, Foster Greer-Thorbecke (FGT), Endogenous switching regression analysis. This study revealed a number of adaptation strategies used by small holder famers have been identified. Accordingly, the following adaptation strategies have been identified as a prominent adaptation strategy used by small holder farmers in the study area. The Multi variate probit model of sample farmers climate change adaptation strategies was estimated to identify socio-economic variables affecting small holder farmers adaptation strategies to mitigate climate change impact. The result implied that different Socio-economic characteristics significantly affected the small holder farmers Climate change adaptation strategies. Finally, the study found the important impacts of climate change adaptation strategies, these are using organic fertilizers, planting of short duration crops, changing of planting dates and increased production season by using irrigation