Responding to a Changing Climate: A Cross-sectional Study of the Determinants of Smallholder Farmers’ Adaptation Strategies in Eastern Ethiopia

Rural households in Ethiopia, specifically in Haramaya District, rely heavily on rain-fed subsistence agriculture for their livelihoods. This dependence exposes them to considerable risks associated with climate variability and long-term climatic changes. Strengthening the resilience of smallholder farmers therefore requires improving their ability to adopt and implement appropriate adaptation measures. This study examines the range of climate change adaptation practices employed by smallholder farmers in Haramaya District, located in the Oromia National Regional State, an area highly susceptible to climate-related challenges. The analysis draws on both primary and secondary data sources. Primary data were gathered from 189 randomly selected farm households using structured questionnaire, and were further enriched through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). Secondary data was obtained from existing literature and institutional reports. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques alongside a multinomial probit model. The results indicate that smallholder farmers employ a variety of adaptation responses to cope with climate change. Among these, changing livestock type was the most commonly adopted strategy (22.75%), while changing the planting period was the least practiced (16.40%). Other adaptation strategies include soil and water conservation (22.22%), income diversification (20.63%), and cultivating drought-tolerant crop varieties (17.99%). Furthermore, the multinomial probit model results reveal that several factors significantly influence farmers’ adaptation decisions in the study area, such as: age, education level, size of the active labor force, frequency of extension contact, access to climate-related information, use of irrigation, livestock holdings, and access to credit. The findings underscore the importance of coordinated efforts of regional governments and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to enhance farmers’ adaptive capacity to climate change. Key areas of intervention include improving access to credit services, raising climate awareness and strengthening climate information dissemination systems, expanding and improving the effectiveness of agricultural extension services, promoting rural education, facilitating adoption of irrigation technologies, supporting livelihood diversification through livestock production, and investing in sustainable, long-term climate resilience initiatives.