Climate Change Adaptation Strategies and Determinants of Adoption Amongst Smallholder Farmers in Jemma Sub-basin, Central Ethiopia

Climate change is causing significant suffering for rural farmers in Ethiopia, especially those in the Jemma sub-basin, whose livelihoods rely on rain-fed agriculture. The primary aim of this study is to identify key adaptation options and the factors that influence smallholder farmers’ decisions to adopt these strategies in response to climate change and variability in the Jemma Sub-Basin. A total of 366 households were randomly selected using a probability proportional to size sampling technique from highland, midland, and lowland kebeles. Semi-structured questionnaires were utilized to gather both quantitative and qualitative data through household surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. Hence, descriptive statistics and the multinominal logit model were employed to analyze the demographic characteristics and factors influencing farmers’ adaptation choices. The findings revealed that adjusting planting dates, improved seeds, soil and water conservation, irrigation, livelihood strategies, and crop diversification are the most prevalent adaptation options practiced by smallholder farmers in the study area. Adjusting planting dates and soil and water conservation are positively and significantly correlated with lowland agroecology and access to information. Additionally, livelihood strategies and crop diversification are positively affected by socioeconomic factors such as gender, family size, total annual income, access to credit, and access to information. The results further indicated that the adoption of irrigation is significantly and positively influenced by gender, age, access to credit, access to information, and market access. In contrast, improved seeds, soil, and water conservation, as well as diversification of livelihoods, showed negative and significant correlations with age and landholdings. Ultimately, the results suggest that effective policies should promote the establishment of efficient microfinance institutions, enhance farmer awareness, and improve infrastructure. Furthermore, the findings advocate for the promotion and expansion of agroecological and gender-based research to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of farmers’ adaptation options.