ABSTRACT
Climate Change is causing the greatest environmental, social and economic threats to all of humankind and across borders of many countries. However, developing countries are the most adversely affected by the impacts of Climate induced events because of their low levels of adaptation.
This study was intended to answer how farmers perceive climate change and to compare their perception with its climate change variability of historical data of the past 30 years (1987-2016). The study also assessed factors influencing farmer’s perception and adaptation strategies to cope with potential impacts of climate change. The study was conducted in three kebeles of Kalu district in south Wollo Zone of Amahara Regional state. It relied on qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. The primary data were collected using household survey, FGDs, and field observation. Mann-Kendall’s test and Sen’s Slope estimator were used to detect the trend and its magnitude. Standard rainfall anomaly precipitation concentration index and coefficient of variations were used to describe of rainfall variability. 152 households were interviewed, besides focus group discussion and key informants interview were utilized to triangulate and substantiate the findings from household survey. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and econometric models. The result showed age, gender education and distance to the local market, had positive and significant influence on farmer’s perception on climate change. However, wealth, agro-ecology and land size had an inverse and significant influence on the perception of farmer is to climate change. Land holding size, education, wealth, distance to the local market climate information and gender had positive and significant influence on choice of adaptation strategies. The finding of the result showed that Bleg season total rainfall exhibited statistically significant declined trend 36.9 mm per decades. The annual maximum rainfall were 1362 mm in 2016 while the lowest annual records were 725 mm in 1987 with the range of 637 mm. the average mean annual rainfall of the last three decades were 1033.88mm with standard deviation of about 159.99 where these much amount rainfall deviated from the mean. The annual average maximum temperature were increased by 1.3oc , durning Belg season before 30 years were 25.5oc, after 30 years the maximum-minimum temperature recorded was 29.3oc in 2016 it increases 3.8oc for the last three decades indicated that there was high inter-seasonal temperature and rainfall variability.
Key words: Greenhouse Gas emission, Standardized Rainfall Anomaly, binary logistic regression
