Adoption of Climate-smart Agricultural Practices Among Smallholder Farmers and Implications for Climate Change Adaptation in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Agriculture is a fundamental source of income and employment in East Africa, particularly in Ethiopia, where rain-fed systems underpin a significant proportion of production. This reliance, however, renders the sector acutely vulnerable to extreme weather events and climate variability, thereby posing considerable threats to agricultural systems, farmers livelihoods, and regional food security. Although climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practice is widely promoted as a potential adaptation measure, there is limited empirical evidence on its impacts in improving household incomes and ensuring food security. This study examined the adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices among smallholder farmers and their implications for climate change adaptation in Southern Ethiopia. The study used data from 385 randomly selected households along with historical meteorological data from 1983 to 2016. A Heckman probit two-stage selection model was employed to examine the factors influencing farmers’ perceptions to climate change and their adaptation measures through adoption of CSA practices, which was supplemented by key informant interviews and focus group discussions. The propensity score matching approach with various types of matching algorithms was also used to quantify the conditional effects of CSA intervention on income and food security. The analysis of meteorological data revealed significant variation in rainfall and temperature patterns across the study area. The household survey revealed that majority of respondents (81.80%) have observed shifts in the local climate. Notably, 53.15% of respondents reported experienced a decline in rainfall, and a higher percentage (71.9%) indicated an increase in temperature. The study findings indicated that farmers' adoption of CSA practices as a climate change adaptation strategy was influenced by a range of factors, including farmers level of education, family size, gender, landholding size, farming experience, access to climate information, extension training, social group membership, livestock ownership, income, and access to extension service. The study also found that farmers’ perceptions of climate change and variability were significantly influenced by their age, level of education, farming experience, and access to climate information. Farmers implementing Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices showed a significantly higher average food consumption score (43.70) compared to non-adopters (36.40), indicating considerable improvement in food security. Furthermore, among all farmers interviewed, 34.55% exhibited acceptable food consumption status, while 44.68% and 20.77% were categorized under borderline and poor consumption status, respectively. The study highlights the essential role of effective extension services, readily accessible climate information, and robust policy support in driving the adoption and widespread implementation of CSA practices, which will ultimately strengthen farmers' adaptive capacity and food security.