CLIMATE CHANGE PERCEPTION AND DETERMINANTS OF ADAPTATION STRATEGIES AMONG MALE AND FEMALE HEADED FARMERS: THE CASE OF TEMBARO WOREDA, SNNPR, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Climate change afects male and female headed households differently. Hence, this study assessed climate change perception and determinants of adaptation strategies among male and female headed farmers of Tembaro Woreda in Southern Ethiopia. Multi-stage sampling procedures were employed to obtain a total of 342 sample household heads. Relevant data were obtained from primary and secondary data sources. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to assess differences in perception and undertaking existing adaptation strategies to climate change while multinomial logit model was used to investigate the determinants of farmers’ choice of climate change adaptation strategies. The study revealed that the two groups uniformly perceived that there is change in climate in the last three decades. Climate data from NMSA showed that an increase in one year period resulted increasing in annual average temperature by 0.032oC while decreasing in annual total rainfall by 3.508mm. The major adaptation strategies undertaken by female headed households include use of short duration and drought resistant crop varieties while SWC, arranging planting dates and crop diversification were more practiced by male headed households in the study area. There was statistically significant difference between female and male headed households in practicing SWC (p=0.000), Arranging planting dates (p=0.013), and Crop Diversification (p=0.037). Multinomial Logit result showed that sex of the household being male, family size, educational status, livestock holding, wealth status, frequency of extension contacts, and access to climate information were significantly affecting smallholder farmers’ choice of adaptation strategies. The study suggested enhancing climate change awareness and farmers’ social network; improving livestock productivity; giving emphasis in agricultural intensification; enhance farmer’s access to affordable credit.