Abstract:
The main objective of this study was to analyze the determinants of adaptation strategies by smallholder
farm households in Woliso district, south western shoa zone, Ethiopia. To conduct this analysis, the
researcher used primary and secondary data. The primary data was collected from a randomly selected 93
sampled households through a structured questionnaire from each of the two kebeles and the key informant
interview has been used through the interview guide checklist of key leaders, model farmers, the research
design of the study was used cross-sectional survey. In this study, multi stage sampling techniques was used
to select the sample respondents. First, out of the potential woreda in South West Shoa Zone that has
climate change, Woliso Woreda is purposively selected because the Woreda is among the most seriously
affected by the climate change and weather variability. In the second stage, out of the total of 35 kebeles of
the woreda, 22 kebeles listed out based on more vunerability to climate change following this, 2 kebeles,
(Obii Koji and Foodu Goora) was selected by using Cluster Sampling techniques. Study of multinomial
logistic regression was calculated to classify the methods for adaptation to climate change. The descriptive
statics showed that over 98% of household heads whod had already perceived climate change, and 44.8%
tried to adapt to practices such as changing crop types, soil and water conservation practices, adjusting
planting / sowing dates, planting trees and irrigation. In addition, shifting crop types are strongly favored
or most widely practiced relative to other adaptation methods to mitigate the adverse effects of climate
change, whereas irrigation is the least practiced adaptation strategies in the arae report. The result from
multinominal logistic indicated sex, age, education, household size, labour, farm income, farm size,
livestock ownership, credit, agricultural extension, and availability of climate information were key factors
that determined the choice of adaptation strategies for farmers. The most barriers to adaptation to climate
change on households are lack of knowledge, lack of resources, insufficient agricultural land and no
observation of climate related problems. Therefore, future policy should focus on awareness creation and
enhancing the adaptive capacity of farming society on climate change through different sources such as
mass media and extension service, encourages social network, facilitates the availability of credit,
enhancing means of income generation in rural area, encourage research on use of changing crop
varieties that are more suited to drier condition and different agro-ecological zone. Finally, the
government, non-governmental organizations and all concerned bodies should first understand the
preferences of farmers for climate change adaptation familiar with the agro-ecology zone, demographic,
socio-economic and institutional factors in the development and implementation of appropriate government
policies to reduce climate change impacts in the Woliso district
