Abstract
Agriculture is a science and art of producing crops and rearing animals. It supports the world populations even though highly affected by climate change and variability. Therefore, promoting climate-smart agriculture is the solution. CRGE fast track project implemented crops and livestock production climate-smart agriculture in the study area. However, no study has evaluated the effect of climate-smart agricultural practices or livelihoods of the farmers.
This research had the aim of identifying crop and animal production adaptation options and assessing the adaptation competence of respondents. In this study,237 samples HHs were selected and stratified by Proportionality allocation to sample into CRGE participants (102HHs) and Non-CRGE group (135HHs). Data were collected from the household surveys, key informants, and focus group discussions and meteorological data also obtained. The results of 20 years' trends (1998-2017) of rainfall show that erratic rainfall trends while the temperature was increasing. Crop and animal production income, adaptation level of respondents before and after project and Non-CRGE group mean income in ETB was identified. The mean income of HHs before the CRGE project was 5,726.1ETB and after the project was12,943 ETB and increased by 7,217.2 ETB. And mean income of the None-CRGE group in 2012-2014 and 2015-2017were 5238 ETB and 5502.5 ETB respectively and increased by only 264.5ETB. Therefore, the average mean income due to CRGE fast track investment among CRGE participants increased by 6952.7ETB income mean when compared with the Non-CRGE group. For this reason, the adaptation capacity of CRGE fast track participants also increased. Finally, CRGE fast tracks investment needed for the immediate response of adaptation and to diversify the source of income. Therefore, promoting CRGE fast track is important since it promotes climate-smart agriculture among smallholders.
Keywords: - Adaptation potential, Climate-smart Agriculture, CRGE, Fast track investment.
