Abstract
The impact of climate change in Ethiopia is already apparent in the increasing temperature and declining rainfall, particularly in northern parts which are exceptionally vulnerable to drought. Studies on climate change adaptation recognize the importance of agro-ecology based research for designing context-specific policies and programs to climate change.
This study was conducted at Hintalo Wajerat district of Tigray regional sate of Northern Ethiopia with the objectives of assessing perception of livestock farmers on climate change, adaptation practices to climate variables, effect of climate change on livestock population and production and barriers to climate change adaption by local farmers in different agro-ecology. Data were collected from January to February 2018 through households (N=156) and key informants’ interviews (N=24) as well as focal group discussion (N=36). Relevant secondary information was also collected from respective peasant association and Woreda office of agriculture and rural development. The data were organized and analyzed by using descriptive statistics. Results showed that most of the respondents (96.2%) perceived that, climate change is indeed occurring while (3.8%) respondents did not perceive whether climate has changed or not. About (78.2%) of respondent also perceived increased temperature. In addition,(70.5%) respondents perceived decrease precipitation over the last thirty years. Most of the respondents perceived that climate change had affected livestock population and production. The major adaptation strategies provide by livestock farmers in three agro-ecologies were health care, cleaning of shades, provision of shades, marketing during shock (destocking), provision of shade during day time and dry season, provision of feeding& watering troughs and cross breeding of livestock respectively. Among the barriers to adapt to climate change mentioned by the farmers include such as lack of finance, lack of awareness on climate change adaptation strategies, shortages of water and lands. Therefore, designing programs to increase the farmers’ education level are important policy measures that could be taken in enhancing adaptation to climate change and thus reduce its impact on the farmers and Strengthened institutional capacity to improve dissemination of modern adaptation strategies over large areas and numbers of farmers
Keywords: household perception, climate change, adaptation strategy, Livestock productivity.
