IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L) PRODUCTION AND FARMERS’ ADAPTATION STRATEGIES IN HAWASSA ZURIA DISTRICT, SIDAMA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Climate change which is one of the challenges facing the world and is increasingly affecting peoples’ food security and livelihood specially in developing countries including Ethiopia. This research assessed the impact of climate change on Maize production and adaptation strategies of the farmers in Hawassa Zuria district, Sidama regional state of Ethiopia. The study used multi stage sampling procedure. Purposive and random sampling procedures were used to select study area and respondents respectively. Primary data were collected using key informant interviews, focus group discussions and household surveys. Similarly, secondary data were collected from National Metrology Agency and District agriculture office. Descriptive statistics, correlation, Multinomial logit model, Adaptation Strategy Index and Standardized Precipitation Index were used to analyse the collected data. According to the survey results, about 66.1% of the respondents perceive that, the rainfall amount in the study area is decreasing. However, long term recorded rainfall data showed that the annual rainfall is increasing by the rate of 3.65 mm annually over the past 30 years. The mean annual rainfall was 968.5mm with 14% of coefficient of variation which is less variable based on degree of variability. Similarly, 85.30% of interviewed farmers said that temperature is in increasing trend, which confirms the results from the analysis of long-term recorded data by National Metrology Agency that indicated the mean average minimum and maximum temperatures are increasing by 0.062 oC and 0.028 oC per annum respectively. The data obtained from National Metrology Agency and Woreda agriculture office also showed that, the rainfall of the annual and summer (Kremit) season were positive and significantly correlated with Maize production. However, negative relationship was observed between long-term maximum temperature and Maize production. The study had also shown that farmer’s adaptation measures include; using improved crop variety and livestock species, use of irrigation, soil and water conservation, change date planting, use agroforestry and income source diversification activities. The marginal effects of Multinomial logit model results also indicated that, the adaptation strategies used by farmers were significantly (p< 0.05) influenced by age, family size, farm land size, yearly income, access to extension service, access to credit service and farming experience , whereas; sex, did not have significant impact. Therefore, to increase and sustain farmers Maize productivity under changing climatic conditions; improving the agricultural production policy measures like: developing drought resistant crop varieties, improving farmers’ perception of climate information, and promoting farm-level adaptation measures such as the use of new agricultural technologies and adjusting planting date must be strengthened in the study area.