Smallholder Coffee Producer’s Perception And Adaptation Strategies To Climate Change And Variabilty In Mana District, Jimma Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia

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.