EVALUATION OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE PRACTICES AND RESOURCES USE AS ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE: THE CASE OF SOFI DISTRICT, HARARI REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The negative impact of climate change has been striking the agricultural sector in Africa. For countries like Ethiopia, whose livelihood occupation of the nation is mainly based on subsistence agriculture that highly rely on rainfall, making an adjustment to adapt to the changing situation is very crucial. Therefore, designing contextual specific adaptation strategies are essential to moderate the negative effect of climate change. This study was intended to answer identify the agricultural practices that maximize output and conserve the natural resources and the strength, weakness, opportunities and threats in implementing the organic agriculture in the Sofi district. Three stages sampling procedure was followed in selecting the study district, villages and representative respondents. Accordingly, one kebele and 60 household heads were selected using purposive sampling and systematic random sampling, respectively. In addition to the soil data and secondary data, structure interview schedule was developed, pre-tested and used for collecting quantitative data. The soil analysis result showed that organic agriculture contribute for the improvement of soil chemical property that is the mixed farming practice was significantly different in soil PH, nitrogen, organic matter, organic carbon and available phosphors than in mono cropping farming system. The descriptive result shows that all the farmers (100%) of the sample respondent participated in land preparation and 98.3% of them participated in manure application and also 98.3% of the sample respondents in participated weeding practices. 98.3% of the sample respondents were participated in harvesting activities. 93.3% of the sample respondents were participated in the fertilizer application activities. 68.3% of the sample respondents were participated in irrigation activities. 13.3% sample respondents were participated in seed treatment activates. To adopt organic agriculture practices whereby financial institutions and other agricultural funders should extend credit or support to agricultural activities with farming practices and technologies that promote organic agriculture.