Factors influencing smallholder farmers' perceptions of climate change and their adoption of climate-smart agriculture: The case of West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

This research aimed to gain an understanding of how farmers perceive and comprehend climate change, as well as how they could utilize climate-smart agriculture (CSA) techniques to cope with it. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with 404 households in West Arsi, Ethiopia. Data was also complemented through focus group discussions and key informant interviews and
analyzed by employing a Heckman probit two-stage selection model. The results disclosed that 75.2% of farmers indicated higher temperatures and 73.5% noted less precipitation distribution, indicating that most farmers (77.7%) thought the local climate was changing. Among the CSA adoption strategies that farmers attempted to practice in the study area were higher-yielding crop cultivars that can withstand drought, organic fertilizers, crop diversification, soil and water conservation, and joint control of herbs and pests. Family size, land size, total livestock units, accessibility of credit, social group membership, annual income, training accessibility, and weather and climate data significantly affected farmers' ability to adopt climate-smart agriculture. Agroecology, age, education, access to mass media, pest infestations, and interactions with nongovernmental organizations were significant factors persuading farmers' perceptions regarding climate change and erraticism. Farmers in the study zone are cognizant of climate change and use adaptation mechanisms to mitigate its negative consequences on their means of subsistence. This shows that policies should be focused on enhancing the accuracy of meteorological data, supporting farmer training through extension services, and taking financial facilities into account to raise farmers' understanding and adoption of climate-smart agriculture. Development endeavors ought to include cooperation between the public and private, in addition to a common goal among all pertinent stakeholders.