EFFECT OF SOCIAL NETWORKS IN FACILITATING SMALLHOLDER FARMERS’ ADAPTATION STRATEGIES TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN WOREILU DISTRICT, SOUTH WOLLO ZONE, AMHARA NATIONAL REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Social networks are an essential source of risk-sharing and capacity building strategies for responding the adverse effects of climate change. However, researches on climate change adaptation strategies not recognized the role of social networks. The current study aims to assess the role of social networks in facilitating smallholder farmers’ adaptation strategies to climate change in Woreilu district, South Wollo zone, Amhara national regional state, Ethiopia. More specifically, the study aims to (i) identify farmer’s perception to climate change and its effect, (ii) identify the major adaptation practices used by farmers, (iii) evaluate farmers’ social network characteristics associated with accessing resources and (iv identify factors that influence farmers’ adaptation strategies. The study employed mixed approach. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected for the study. Quantitative data were collected from 261 sampled households using structured questionnaire. Qualitative data were also collected using FGD, KII and observation. Relevant secondary data were obtained from WDADO, CSA, journals and published and unpublished reviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to describe farmer’s perception of climate change, adaptation strategies and social network characteristics. Multivariate probit model was used to analyze the determinants of households’ adaptation strategies to climate change. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The data were organized based on the major themes. The maior themes were perception, adaptation, and social networks. The result indicated that the majority of households were perceive increase in temperature and the decrease in rainfall. The study found out that there are three major adaptation strategies: crop diversification, irrigation and soil and water conservation with their likelihood of being adopted 87%, 35%, and 68% respectively. It also showed that the joint probability of using all adaptation strategies was approximately 30% and the joint probability of failure to adopt all of the adaptation strategies was 11%. Large network size, having more kins and relatives and more close-living members in network has an important role on climate change adaptation. The model point out that sex of household head, age of household head, education of the household head, access to extension service, farm size, livestock holding, distance to the nearest market, access to climate information, agro ecological zone, social network size and network proximity has a significant impact on farmer’s adaptation strategies. Based on the result of the study, the researcher concluded that social network characteristics were important variables for access to resource in the process of climate change which in turn promote adaptive capacity of farmers. Consequently, the future policy focus should target fostering farmers to extending their social networks among members which is a useful activity to facilitate adaptation to climate change