Abstract
Climate change is a serious threat to the livelihoods of rural communities, particularly in arid and semi-arid zone areas. In this study area carried out analysis of climate change trend, impacts on farmers and their adaptation strategies in kola Tenbeinworeda, Tigray region. Ethiopia. Rainfall and temperature data have been analyzed using coefficient of variation standardized Precipitation Index and furthermore, excel and Minitab software used to detect the time series trend.
The survey data was collected by using household questionnaire, key informant Interview, focus group discussion and analyzed by SPSS software. In the study area the past 40 years annual rainfall higher variability in lowland (kola) than high land (Dega). A statistically significant difference coefficient of variation higher in lowland (kola). In study low land woreda the dry years were occurred in 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988,1995,2000,2002, 2008 and2009, extreme wet year in 1979. In high land woreda the dry years were occurred in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1994, 1996 and 2006. More dry and extreme wet years occurred in low land (Kola). The month June, July and August the main rainy season, the rainfall amount clearly showed significant variability and declining trends in annual and summer rainfall. It is also that the average annual minimum temperature is increasing faster than average annual maximum temperature, more drought-inducing events in the study woreda. The survey result showed in study area Climate change impacts Stated by household respondents include deceased agricultural yield, frequent drought and reduced water availability on average a statistically significant difference of climate change impact in low land (87%) than high land (54%) and mid land (73%). The major adaptation strategies employed by the majority household respondents include soil and water conservations, irrigation schemes, moisture stress resistant crop varieties, crop diversification and shifting cattle’s to small ruminants, on average a statistically significant difference of adaptation strategy prioritized in low land (82.1%) than high land (53%) and mid land (78.1%). Leading us to conclude strategies designed in the agricultural sector have to take the declining and variability of rainfall and increasing trend of temperature inducing to drought events need Adaptation strategies designed into rural small holder’s farmers.
KeyWords: Climate Change, Trend, Rainfall, Temperature, Adaptation strategy
