Climate Change Adaptation Strategies and Its Impact on Household Vulnerability to Food Insecurity: A Micro-Level Evidence from Southwest Ethiopia

Andualem Begashaw (), Mengistu Ketema, Abule Mehare, Mesay Yami, Shiferaw Feleke and Tahirou Abdoulaye
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Andualem Begashaw: Department of Economics, Mizan Tepi University, Mizan Aman P.O. Box 260, Ethiopia
Mengistu Ketema: Ethiopian Economics Association, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 34282, Ethiopia
Abule Mehare: Ethiopian Economics Association, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 34282, Ethiopia
Mesay Yami: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Headquarters & West African Hub, Ibadan P.O. Box 5320, Nigeria
Shiferaw Feleke: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Headquarters & West African Hub, Ibadan P.O. Box 5320, Nigeria
Tahirou Abdoulaye: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Headquarters & West African Hub, Ibadan P.O. Box 5320, Nigeria
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Abule Mehare Warkagegnehu and Mengistu Ketema Aredo

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 13, 1-16

Abstract: Smallholder farmers in Ethiopia face increasing challenges from climate change and variability, which threaten their food security and livelihoods. This study examines how adopting single and combined climate change adaptation practices affects their vulnerability to food insecurity in Bench Maji Zone, southwest Ethiopia. Through multistage sampling, data were gathered from 390 rural households in four climate-prone districts. The study examines the impacts resulting from both individual and combined implementations of adaptation techniques. These techniques encompass crop management practices, soil and water conservation measures, and livelihood portfolio diversification strategies. The study employed the multinomial endogenous treatment effect regression model to address selection bias and endogeneity resulting from various sources of heterogeneity, whether observed or unobserved. The results show that farmers who adopted adaptation practices were less vulnerable to food insecurity than those who did not. The study also finds that adopting multiple practices has a more significant impact than adopting single practices. Our findings suggest that implementing climate change adaptation strategies can increase the resilience of smallholder farmers in the study area and decrease their vulnerability to food insecurity. The study recommends supporting farmers in adopting these strategies through research and development, information dissemination, and collaborations among farmers, researchers, and extension services.

Keywords: climate change adaptation; food insecurity; vulnerability; multinomial endogenous treatment effect; smallholder farmers; Ethiopia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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