CLIMATE CHANGE INDUCED DROUGHT IMPACTS ON LIVESTOCK SECTOR AND COMMUNITIES ADAPTATION ACTIONS IN THE CASE OF HAMMER WOREDA, SOUTH OMO ZONE, SOUTHERN NATIONS NATIONALITIES AND PEOPLES REGION, ETHIOPIA.

Abstract

Climate change is predicted to have the main impact on agriculture dominated economy particularly in livestock based livelihood economy of the pastoral populations dwell in under-developed world and largely in Sub-Saharan Africa. To improve the knowledge in this respect and guide policy making for adequate and relevant adaptation strategies, 154 pastoralists were interviewed in three kebeles of Hammer Woreda, South Omo Zone, and SNNP Region. Pastoralists were asked both closed and open-ended questions about climate knowledge, perceived climate change, perceptions about temperature changes and variability in precipitation, coping strategy, adaptation strategies, loss and damage and the impact trend of climate change on their livelihood. According to the FGD and KII results, the rainfall in Hammer has become more erratic than before. Likewise, regardless of age groups, all the surveyed households (100%) have experienced changes in the climate and have characterised this change by late rain onset (97.4%, increased dry spell frequency (96.755), total amount of rain decrease (96.1%), early rain cessation (95.45%), decreased wet season duration (87.66), 97.4% felt increased number of hot days, and again 95.45% of respondents has said number of cold days has also decreased. On top of this, the Metrological Data it is apparent that both precipitation and temperature data computed at both station shown variable rainfall trend and for areal average, highest monthly rainfall variability (103.32%) and the lowest monthly rainfall variability (39.78%) was observed on July and April month, respectively. The highest rainfall variability has been observed in the month of July. Most of the observed extreme trends in temperature and precipitation did not show spatial coherence among stations within eco-environments and varied within stations with some showing opposite trends. As a result of increased weather variability of the study area, which matches with the communities’ perception on the changing climate, the pastoralists faced significant loss and damage on their financial, natural and social capitals. To avert this, at risk communities have employed collective and individual adaptation and coping strategies. However, some of vital social coping capacity being eroded and at the same time the adaptation actions were seen marginally helping hard hit and disadvantaged communities group to the level it has been expected.