Agroforestry practices for climate change adaptation and livelihood resilience in drylands of Ethiopia

Abstract

Agroforestry practices have gained attention as a means to enhance the resilience of smallholder farmers to climate threats. However, their role in building resilient livelihoods and adapting to climate change is not well studied in Ethiopia. Through our study, we evaluated the significance of indigenous agroforestry practices for climate change adaptation and livelihood resilience in different agroecologies of Northern Ethiopia. We interviewed 197 households to gather insightful data, and statistical analyses, including Chi-square, Pearson’s correlation, ANOVA, and multinomial regression, were employed to analyze the data. Our findings reveal that farmers are proactively responding to the impacts of a changing climate by making strategic shifts in crop varieties, livestock types, and tree species, which they believe strengthen their adaptive capacity. Indigenous agroforestry emerged as the third most preferred climate change adaptation option among farmers, following livestock and off-farm activities. Additionally, on-farm trees were identified as the third most significant livelihood asset for farming households, underscoring the pivotal role of indigenous agroforestry in bolstering livelihood resilience. Indigenous agroforestry practices offer a multitude of benefits, including wood, livestock fodder, and crucial ecosystem services, particularly during periods of climate shocks. This not only enhances farmers’ adaptive capacity but also alleviates pressure on neighboring natural forests. Notably, on-farm trees exhibited a substantial positive impact on crop productivity, household income, and overall climate change adaptation capabilities. Despite variations observed across different agroecologies, on-farm trees accounted for an impressive 34.35% of the household’s total income, further highlighting their significance in fostering long-term livelihood resilience. In conclusion, our study emphasizes the urgent need to scale up indigenous agroforestry practices as a means to enhance short-term adaptive capacity and foster long-term resilience.

Keywords:

• Climate shock
• livelihood diversification
• on-farm trees
• smallholder farmers

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful for the financial support of the Ethiopian Forestry Development, Mekelle center (formerly Ethiopian Environment and Forest Research Institute, Mekelle Center). The contribution of development agents, agricultural experts, and leaders of the study districts during the entire data collection process is highly appreciated.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Ethiopian Forestry Development, Mekelle center (formerly Ethiopian Environment and Forest Research Institute, Mekelle Center).