Vulnerability to climate change/variability and Local coping strategies in Ebinat Woreda, South Gondar Zone

Abstract

In recent times, environmental change caused by climate variability is affecting the livelihood of people living in the country specially whose life is dependent on agriculture. However, the rate of vulnerability is varied within areas and households. Hence, the main purpose of this study is to understand the extent of the vulnerability of the local community of peoples of Ebinat Woreda to climate change and to assess their local copping strategies. The study attempted to examine the exposure of the area to climate change and its extremes, to assess the sensitivity and adaptive capacity of the local to the existing climate change impacts, to identify most vulnerable groups from the local people. To achieve the objectives set, necessary data was collected from sample kebeles, which are agro ecologically, Kolla and Dega. From the information collected, the extent of vulnerability is assessed by using integrated vulnerability assessment to show both biophysical and socioeconomic vulnerability. As a result, the rainfall trend of the past three decades sowed slight decrease and the rate of variability in Meher season is high. In addition, drought is happening frequently in the area. The main source of income of the people is rain-fed crop production. Most of the people earn less than 100 birr per month, low level of assets and few number livestock. The adaptation and coping strategies are not sufficient and, cannot support the local people to sustain their life without external aids. Poor, landless, having large family and households without their own ox are the most vulnerable groups. Therefore, from the result of the study it can be concluded that the area is exposed to climate extremes, highly sensitive to the adverse impacts of climate change and the adaptive capacity of the local a people is very low. Thus, the adaptive capacity of the local people needs to be improved and additional effective adaptation and coping strategies have to implement