Climate change impacts on household food security and adaptation strategies in southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Climate change is predicted to adversely affect agricultural yields, particularly in African countries such as Ethiopia, where crop production relies heavily on environmental factors such as rainfall and temperature. However, there have only been a limited number of studies on the effects of climate change dynamics on food security in Africa, particularly at the household level. We therefore analyzed local climatic changes, the status of household food security, climate-related causes of food insecurity, food security determinants, and the adaptation strategies of local farmers. Three decades meteorological data were analyzed. A total of 185 farmers were selected using simple random sampling and interviewed, together with focus groups. Data were analyzed using the descriptive and inferential statistics together with the logit regression model. Climate change over the last three decades was found to have a negative impact on the food security status of households. Crop production was constrained by poor rainfall, severe erosion, and increases in temperature. The unpredictability of rainfall, pests, and diseases were also contributing factors. Using the calorie intake approach, 60.5% of sampled respondents were found to be food insecure. Analysis using the logistic regression model showed that age and family size, as well as the amount of cultivated land and rainfall, were the significant (p