Abstract:
Climate change and variability is one of the great change agricultural productions of
smallholder farmers of the developing countries. Coffee crop is the major cash crop that plays
foremost role in earning foreign revenue of the Ethiopian and needs suitable climate to give
yields. The study aimed to assess smallholder coffee producer’s perception and adaptation
strategies to climate change and variability in Manna district, Jimma zone, Southwestern
Ethiopia. The study used mixed research approach which requires quantitative and qualitative
data. Using simple random sampling design, 377 households were selected. Interview schedule,
focus group discussion and key informants were used for data collection. Descriptive statistics
and multivariate probit model were used in quantitative data analysis, and content analysis was
used in qualitative data analysis. The survey result showed that 80.37% of sample household
have perceived climate change and 19.63% of households have not perceived. Soil conservation,
planting shade trees, adjusting harvesting date, and improved coffee variety were the major
climate change and variability adaptation strategies household have employed in the study area.
The outcomes of multivariate probit indicated that being male household head, household size,
farm size, farming experience, educational level, frequency of extension contact, access to
climate change information, perception to climate change, farmer-to-farmer extension, access to
credit service, and nonfarm activities participation of household were significant and positively
influenced households in adoption of adaptation options. But, age of household was negatively
affected households. However, agro-ecological setting of household, market distance and the
number of household membership in local institutions were insignificant in the study. Therefore,
it was recommended that agricultural extension service should be encouraged, the agenda of
planting trees should be expanded and familiar with households, financial institution should be
affordable in making suitable policy for farmers, and households should be participate nonfarm
activities, and aged households and female headed households should be motivated.
