E x p l o rat i o n o f fa r m e rs a n d p o l i cy

m a ke rs p e rc ep t i o n s o f cl i m at e ch a n ge
in Sidama, Ethiopia!
PhD$conference$in$Interna/onal$Development$
$
Ruhr6University$Bochum$

Seyoum Hameso
University of East London
s. h a m e s o @ u e l . a c. u k
hameso@gmail.com

Paper&outline&
! Introduc-on'
! Background:'Ethiopia,'Sidama'
! Methodology'
! Findings'and'discussion'
! Percep-ons'of'climate'change'by'farmers'
! Percep-ons'of'climate'change'by'policy'makers'

! Conclusions''

Percep-ons'of'climate'change'

25/09/2015'

Introduction&
! The$PhD$study$
! PhD'study'started'in'Feb.'2011'and'completed'in'July'

2015.'
! Study'into'smallholder'farmers'percep/ons,$
vulnerability$and$adapta/on'to'climate'change.'
! This'paper'reports'on'farmers'and'policy'makers'
percep-ons'of'climate'change.'

! Why$study$climate$change$and$smallholder$farmers?$

Percep-ons'of'climate'change'

25/09/2015'

Introduction&&rationale&
! Climate'change''is'urgent'and'complex.''
! Complicates'exis-ng'challenges'of'poverty'

reduc-on'and'the'realiza-on'of'MDGs.''
! Ethiopia''and'Sidamas'smallholder'farmers'
! Yet'farmers'understanding'and'responses'to'
climate'change'have'neither'been'seriously'
acknowledged'nor'empirically'studied,'especially'
in'the'case'of'Sidama.'

Percep-ons'of'climate'change'

25/09/2015'

Ethiopia&and&Sidama&
Loca/on$of$Sidama$in$Ethiopia$

Percep-ons'of'climate'change'

Ethiopia:$$
Total'popula-on'
94'million'
Agriculture'
42T45%'of'GDP,''
80%'employment,''
90%''foreign'
exchange'
earnings.''
Coee'35%'export'
earnings,'25%'
popula-on,'95%'
smallholder'
farmers'

Sidama:$
Total'popula-on'
of'over'3.6'mn''
Density'of'506'
people'per'sq.'km'
Agriculture'is'
dominant,'largely'
rainfed'
Main'products:'
coee,'maize,'
cereals,'
vegetables,'Enset,'
livestock''

25/09/2015'

Coee'

Enset/Weese'

Dr'Meera'Tiwari'and'Seyoum'Hameso'
Roadside'coee'plants'near'highland'

Methodology&
! Compara-ve'

case'study'
research'design''
! Explore'climate'
change'in'three'
agroecological'
zones''
highlands,$
midlands$and$
lowlands.$$
Percep-ons'of'climate'change'

25/09/2015'

Methodology&&
! Used'both'qualita-ve'and'quan-ta-ve'research'methods'

for'data'collec-on'and'analysis.'
! Undertook'eldwork'research'from'January'2012'T'May'
2012.'
! Data'collec-on'involved'a'survey'with'120'farmers,'focus'
group'discussion'with'30'farmers,'semiTstructured'
interviews'with'15'farmers'and'17'policy'makers.'
! 'A'modied'form'of'sustainable$livelihoods$framework$is'
deployed'as'analy-cal'tool'to'inves-gate'vulnerability'
context,'livelihood'assets,'and'ins-tu-ons.''

Percep-ons'of'climate'change'

25/09/2015'

Sustainable&livelihood&framework&

Percep-ons'of'climate'change'

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Findings&and&discussion&
Percep-ons'of'climate'change'by'farmers'
Overall'perception'of'climate'change!

Risks/Indicators'

Higher'temperature,''
erra$c&rainfall,&&
disappearance&of&plant&(crop&and&
tree)&species,&&
growing&new&crops&such&as&maize&
and&coee&in&new&areas,&&
change&in&wind&direc$on,&
&emergence&of&parasites/insects&
emergence&of&diseases&(malaria)&

Causes$

[Source:'Survey'data,'March'2012]'

Percep-ons'of'climate'change'

''

Destruc$on&of&indigenous&
trees&and&expansion&of&
eucalyptus&trees,"Gods"
wrath,"weakened"
indigenous"prac5ces"and"
values"
25/09/2015'
'

Quote&
We'entered'a'new'era'While'the'habitual'calendar'of'months'
remains'the'same,'the'weather'is'changing'and'we'dont'know'
why'it'is'so.''there'is'climate'change'[at'dierent'levels].'What'
we'know'to'happen'in'the'past'and'what'is'happening'now'are'
dierent.'In'the'past,'people'knew'what'to'expect.'They'knew'
what'happens'during'the'autumn.'People'knew'what'happens'
in'those'months.'Then'they'prepare'for'farming'ac-vi-es.'With'
full'knowledge'of'the'events,'people'organise'their'life'and'
prepare'for'work''
In'recent'-mes,'however,'an'unexpected'event'emerged.'While'
changes'in'the'past'were'imposed'on'people,'such'as'
revolu-onary'change'in'poli-cs,'now'there'is'a'change'in'
climate.'It'has'unexpectedly'engulfed'people'without'their'
knowledge'''
Focus'Group'Discussion'par-cipant'from'highland'

Percep-ons'of'climate'change'

25/09/2015'

Findings&and&discussion&&
Percep-ons'of'climate'change'by'policy'makers'
Indicators/risks:'erra$c&rainfall,&rising&temperature,&decline&in&
water&availability,&and&emergence&of&disease&
Causes:'deforesta$on,&CO2&emissions&and&global&
warming'
'

Percep-ons'of'climate'change'

25/09/2015'

Quote&
Our'district'is'a'vic-m'of'the'problem'of'climate'change'
()'This'district'is'known'to'produce'coee.'The'only'
way'produc-on'and'produc-vity'of'coee'can'be'
increased'is'by'having'stable'weather'condi-ons.'
Problems'associated'with'global'climate'change'aect'
our'district'()'The'source'of'global&warming&is'manT
made'pollu-on''[which]'results'from'gases'released'by'
factories'of'wealthy'countries.''Most'vulnerable'
countries'are'vic-ms'especially'African'countries'and'
developing'countries.''
Par-cipant'from'midland'district'
Percep-ons'of'climate'change'

25/09/2015'

Conclusions&
! Results'showed'that'the'majority'of'farmers'perceived''

changing'clima-c'condi-ons.'

! Varied'percep-ons'about'causes'of'climate'change'
! What$can$be$done$to$bridge$the$gap$in$percep/ons?$

Percep-ons'of'climate'change'

25/09/2015'

I&thank&you&

Percep-ons'of'climate'change'

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