Ogeto, Mohammed Aman, Morton, John F. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8013-5794, Pant, Laxmi Prasad and Kenee, Fekadu Beyene (2026) Farmers’ perceived climate change impacts and their decisions to adopt autonomous adaptation strategies to climate variability in eastern Ethiopia. Heliyon, 12 (15):e45471. ISSN 2405-8440 (Online) (doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2026.e45471)

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Abstract

Smallholder farmers' in Ethiopia are experiencing adverse impacts of climate variability and change as they are dependent on subsistence rainfed farming. Previous studies focused on factors influencing adoption of an individual adaptation option without differentiating them as auton omous, planned and anticipatory options. This study intended to identify Kersa District, eastern Ethiopia, farmers' perceived impacts of climate change and the factors that influence their de cisions to adopt autonomous adaptation strategies to climate variability. A total of 384 farmers were randomly selected to participate in the study. Two key informant interviews and four focus group discussions were used to collect in-depth information that complements the survey. The results indicated that mostly farmers' receive information on climate change from neighbours (70.05%) and family members (68.75%) rather than extension agents (47.92%) and district ex perts (36.20%). The most perceived impacts of climate change were decreasing rainfall, water shortage, frequent drought, increasing temperature, changing precipitation, and crop failures. The major autonomous adaptation strategies used were soil and water conservation (63.54%), crop diversification (60.68%), crop rotation (55.21%), tree planting (46.88%), altering planting date's (44.53%) and improved varieties (41.41%). A probit econometric model results showed crop-income share, number of livestock, total land owned, crop farming experience, and being male-headed household positively influenced decisions to adopt the adaptation strategies. The findings spotlighted important policy actions, among others, improving access to climate change information particularly among female farmers, integrating informal and formal sources of in formation, and enhancing the skills of extension agents and district experts. The findings also spotlighted future research directions.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	perception, climate variability, climate change, autonomous adaptation, farmers, Kersa district and Ethiopia
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD61 Risk Management S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Engineering & Science Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Centre for Society, Environment and Development (CSED) Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Centre for Society, Environment and Development (CSED) > Climate Change
Last Modified:	23 Sep 2026 15:23
URI:	https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/54424

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