Impacts of Climate Change on Food Security in Ethiopia: Adaptation and Mitigation Options: A Review

Abstract

Climate change is happening and already affecting food security in Africa. Ethiopia is vulnerable to climate change because our economies largely depend on climate-sensitive agricultural production. Environmental changes, such as changes in rainfall variability, drought, warmer or cooler temperature (lead to change in growing seasons) and land cover change have increased concerns about achieving food security. Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) recognized Climate change as a threat and opportunity for Ethiopia. Both climate change adaptation and mitigation issues considered; GTP stipulates the country’s ambition to build a climate resilient green economy by 2030. Climate change impacts on agriculture and livestock is depending on changes in temperature, precipitation and climate variability (such as erratic rainfall, floods and droughts). The complex interaction of these variables makes it difficult to predict how climate change will impact at the regional level. Despite the relatively high knowledge of the subject among policy-makers and the prominent role being played by Ethiopia in International Climate Change Negotiations many factors, such as El Nlno, are contributing to the deterioration of the local climate and making the population ever more vulnerable to global and regional climate change. The Policies and implementation Strategies should emphasized on an integrated, evidence-based and climate smart approach to addressing food security at all levels, from the National to local levels, from research to policies and investments, and across private, public and civil society sectors to achieve the scale and rate of change required.