Explorat ion of farmers’ and pol icy makers’ perceptions of cl imate change
in Sidama, Ethiopia !
PhD$conference$in$Interna/onal$Development$$
Ruhr6University$Bochum$
S e y o u m H a m e s o U n i v e r s i t y o f E a s t L o n d o n
s . h a m e s o @ u e l . a c . u k
h a m e s o @ g m a i l . c o m
Paper&outline&
25/09/2015'Percep-ons'of'climate'change'
! Introduc-on'! Background:'Ethiopia,'Sidama'
! Methodology'
! Findings'and'discussion'! Percep-ons'of'climate'change'by'farmers'
! Percep-ons'of'climate'change'by'policy'makers'
! Conclusions''
Introduction&
25/09/2015'Percep-ons'of'climate'change'
! The$PhD$study$! PhD'study'started'in'Feb.'2011'and'completed'in'July'
2015.'
! Study'into'smallholder'farmers'percep/ons,$vulnerability$and$adapta/on'to'climate'change.'
! This'paper'reports'on'farmers’'and'policy'makers’'
percep-ons'of'climate'change.'
! Why$study$climate$change$and$smallholder$farmers?$
Introduction&…&rationale&
25/09/2015'Percep-ons'of'climate'change'
! Climate'change''is'urgent'and'complex.''
! Complicates'exis-ng'challenges'of'poverty'
reduc-on'and'the'realiza-on'of'MDGs.''
! Ethiopia''and'Sidama’s'smallholder'farmers'
! Yet'farmers’'understanding'and'responses'to'
climate'change'have'neither'been'seriously'
acknowledged'nor'empirically'studied,'especially'
in'the'case'of'Sidama.'
Ethiopia&and&Sidama&
25/09/2015'Percep-ons'of'climate'change'
Loca/on$of$Sidama$in$Ethiopia$ Ethiopia:$$• Total'popula-on'
94'million'
• Agriculture'
42T45%'of'GDP,''
• 80%'employment,''
• 90%''foreign'
exchange'
earnings.''
• Coffee'35%'export'
earnings,'25%'
popula-on,'95%'
smallholder'
farmers'
Sidama:$• Total'popula-on'
of'over'3.6'mn''
• Density'of'506'
people'per'sq.'km'
• Agriculture'is'
dominant,'largely'
rainfed'
• Main'products:'
coffee,'maize,'
cereals,'
vegetables,'Enset,'
livestock''
Enset/Weese'
Dr'Meera'Tiwari'and'Seyoum'Hameso'
Roadside'coffee'plants'near'highland'
Coffee'
Methodology&
25/09/2015'Percep-ons'of'climate'change'
! Compara-ve'
case'study'
research'design''
! Explore'climate'
change'in'three'
agroecological'
zones'–'
highlands,$midlands$and$lowlands.$$
Methodology&…&
25/09/2015'Percep-ons'of'climate'change'
! Used'both'qualita-ve'and'quan-ta-ve'research'methods'
for'data'collec-on'and'analysis.'
! Undertook'fieldwork'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'modified'form'of'sustainable$livelihoods$framework$is'deployed'as'analy-cal'tool'to'inves-gate'vulnerability'
context,'livelihood'assets,'and'ins-tu-ons.''
Sustainable&livelihood&framework&
25/09/2015'Percep-ons'of'climate'change'
Findings&and&discussion&
25/09/2015'Percep-ons'of'climate'change'
Percep-ons'of'climate'change'by'farmers'
Overall'perception'of'climate'change!
''[Source:'Survey'data,'March'2012]'
Risks/Indicators'Higher'temperature,''
erra$c&rainfall,&&disappearance&of&plant&(crop&and&tree)&species,&&growing&new&crops&such&as&maize&and&coffee&in&new&areas,&&change&in&wind&direc$on,&&emergence&of¶sites/insects&emergence&of&diseases&(malaria)&
Causes$Destruc$on&of&indigenous&trees&and&expansion&of&eucalyptus&trees,"God’s"wrath,"weakened"indigenous"prac5ces"and"values"'
Quote&
25/09/2015'Percep-ons'of'climate'change'
‘We'entered'a'new'era…'While'the'habitual'calendar'of'months'
remains'the'same,'the'weather'is'changing'and'we'don’t'know'
why'it'is'so.'…'there'is'climate'change'[at'different'levels].'What'
we'know'to'happen'in'the'past'and'what'is'happening'now'are'
different.'In'the'past,'people'knew'what'to'expect.'They'knew'
what'happens'during'the'autumn….'People'knew'what'happens'
in'those'months.'Then'they'prepare'for'farming'ac-vi-es.'With'
full'knowledge'of'the'events,'people'organise'their'life'and'
prepare'for'work…''
In'recent'-mes,'however,'an'unexpected'event'emerged.'While'
changes'in'the'past'were'imposed'on'people,'such'as'
revolu-onary'change'in'poli-cs,'now'there'is'a'change'in'
climate.'It'has'unexpectedly'engulfed'people'without'their'
knowledge'…’''Focus'Group'Discussion'par-cipant'from'highland'
Findings&and&discussion&…&
25/09/2015'Percep-ons'of'climate'change'
Percep-ons'of'climate'change'by'policy'makers'
Indicators/risks:'erra$c&rainfall,&rising&temperature,&decline&in&water&availability,&and&emergence&of&disease&
Causes:'deforesta$on,&CO2&emissions&and&global&warming''
Quote&
25/09/2015'Percep-ons'of'climate'change'
‘Our'district'is'a'vic-m'of'the'problem'of'climate'change'
(…)'This'district'is'known'to'produce'coffee.'The'only'
way'produc-on'and'produc-vity'of'coffee'can'be'
increased'is'by'having'stable'weather'condi-ons.'
Problems'associated'with'global'climate'change'affect'
our'district'(…)'The'source'of'global&warming&is'manT
made'pollu-on'…'[which]'results'from'gases'released'by'
factories'of'wealthy'countries.'…'Most'vulnerable'
countries'are'vic-ms'especially'African'countries'and'
developing'countries.’''
Par-cipant'from'midland'district'
Conclusions&
25/09/2015'Percep-ons'of'climate'change'
! Results'showed'that'the'majority'of'farmers'perceived''
changing'clima-c'condi-ons.'
! Varied'percep-ons'about'causes'of'climate'change'
! What$can$be$done$to$bridge$the$gap$in$percep/ons?$
I&thank&you&
25/09/2015'Percep-ons'of'climate'change'