IMPACT OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY ON WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L.) PRODUCTIVITY AND ADAPTATION STRATAGIES AMONG SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN GIBE WOREDA OF HADIYA ZONE, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study was conducted in Gibe woreda, Hadiya Zone Southern Ethiopia to analyze rainfall and temperature variability impacts on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity and adaptation strategies among smallholder farmers. Data on rainfall and temperature (1988-2017) and wheat yield (2000-2014) were obtained from National Meteorological Agency and Gibe woreda agriculture office, respectively. Climate parameters; rainfall totals, onset, cessation and length of growing period analysis was done using Instat V3.37 software. The variability, trend, correlation and regression analysis were done using XLSTAT 2014 and SPSS statistical software at Fonko and Hosanna Stations. Annual and kiremt mean rainfall was 1215 and 621.2 mm at Fonko station and 1172 and 916 mm respectively at Hosanna station. The observed variability trends indicated decreasing in rainfall total at Fonko and Hosanna stations in annual and kiremt rain fall total and non-significant trend was observed in the study area. Annual and kiremt minimum and maximum temperature showed an increasing trend at both stations. However, the temporal variability of maximum temperature showed less variability as compared to minimum temperature. The result of relationship between wheat and climatic variables showed that kiremt rainfall total (r = 0.712) and kiremt maximum temperature had significant strong positive and negative relationship with wheat yield respectively in the study area. Whereas LGP, cessation date (r = 0.336) and kiremt minimum temperature (r = 0.018) has moderate and very weak positive correlation with wheat yield. Though, kiremt onset date of rainfall (r = -0.176) has very weak and negative correlation with wheat yield in the study area. The multiple linear regression analysis predicts that an increase in kiremt total rainfall, cessation date, LGP, and kiremt minimum temperature will result in an increase in wheat yield. However, an increase in kiremt maximum temperature and onset date will cause a decrease in wheat yield. A total of 332 sample households were selected using simple random sampling method for interview and analyzed sing SPSSv20 statistical software. Most of the respondents have adjusted their farming practices to adapt the impacts of variability in rainfall patterns and increasing temperature. Planting drought tolerant and early maturing wheat verities, crop diversification, implementing SWC practices, changing planting date and using other agronomic practices as innovative agricultural decisions were major adaptation strategies used by farmers in response to variable climate. However, farmers were not effective in those adaptation strategies, because most of them have low awareness and less adaptive capacity thus practicing in traditional way in the study area. Therefore, it should be integrated with new innovative technologies to be effective in those adaptation strategies.