IMPACTS OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY ON COFFEE (COFFEA ARABICA l.) YIELD AND FARMERS ADAPTATION STRATEGIES: THE CASE OF BEDENO DISTRICT, EAST DARARGHE ZONE, OROMIA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Climate variability is one of the serious environmental problems that have many public impacts in most parts of the world due to its consequence. This study was initiated to investigate the climate variability; its impacts on coffee yield, to assess relationship between rainfall and temperature and coffee yield and farmers’ adaptation strategies in Bedeno District. Climate and coffee data for year 2001-2020 were obtained from Ethiopian National Metrological Institution and Bedeno District Agriculture and Natural Resource Office, respectively. In addition, to elicit adaptation measures, household interviews of a sample of 338 respondents, 8 key informant interviews, and 14 focus group discussions were used. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics; coefficient of variation, correlation analysis, ANOVA and multiple linear regressions were used. Accordingly, the finding indicated an increasing trend of temperature and a decreasing trend of rainfall. The result of the correlation analysis showed that; Annual temperature, (r=-0.671), and Minimum temperature (r=-0.724) had strong negative and Maximum temperature (r=-0.477) had a moderate negative relationship with coffee yield. Moreover, annual total rainfall (r= 0.293), Kiremt total rainfall (r=0.271) and Belg total rainfall (r=0.167) showed a weak positive correlation with coffee yield. The coefficient of multiple regressions (R2 ) was 0.603 (i.e., 60.3% of the variation in coffee yield has been explained by climatic parameters jointly at Bedeno). In response to perceived impacts, farm households implemented various adaptation strategies. Among the adaptation strategies the study finds irrigation; improved coffee varieties, Improve soil fertility, Agroforestry practice, and Soil conservation. I recommended that there is a need for more research on exploring moisture stress and high-temperature resistant coffee varieties and more attention to water conservation strategies