Abstract:
Agriculture is the sector most vulnerable to climate change impact. Climate variability and
change are global phenomena, which have become a huge challenge to humankind. The
general objective of this study was to assess impacts of climate change and variability on
rural livelihoods, and the adaptation responses being undertaken in Cheliya district, West
Shoa zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. The study focused on the local peoples of three sampled
kebeles namely Jarso Dire Geda, Alehula Dabi and Rafiso Alanga which were selected
through stratified sampling method based on their agro-ecologic conditions. Random
sampling technique was employed and 272 household heads were selected from the three
sample kebeles.
The result from respondents showed that declining of precipitation and rising temperatures
was one of manifestation of climate change observed in the study area, this in turn making
farming increasingly more difficult for farmers and resulted in reduction of crop production
and livestock rearing, resulting in destructive, impacts on livelihoods, income, food prices
and coping capacities, and ultimately increasing food insecurity. The group of society more
vulnerable to the effects of climate change and variability were large family size (29.78%),
children and elderly (27.21%), the female headed HHs (24.63%), the landless and HHs who
have no additional income account for 18.38% respectively. The main coping mechanisms
employed in the study area were reducing the number of meals per a day (46.69%), livestock
selling (26.84), taking loan (18.38%) and remittance from relatives (8.09%). These current
adaptation strategies that the local people used were not planned, coordinated and not
sufficient too. Restoring the degraded ecosystem by planting the trees, conservation of water
bodies and support local farmers to protect soil erosion is important to sustain life.
