1. Adaptation through Managing
Climate Risk
By
Almaz Demessie
Senior Agro meteorologist
Early Warning and Response Directorate, Disaster
Risk Management and Food Security Sector
Climate Forum, Ethiopia
March 8, 2011
2. Introduction
Climate affects multiple sectors including agriculture, food
security, water resources, health and land use.
Climatic variability triggers crop failures, food insecurity,
malaria epidemics, and shortages in hydro-power and
irrigation.
These types of impacts affect the ability of developing
countries to achieve Millennium Development Goals
related to poverty, hunger and human health.
3. Introduction…Contd
Managing the risk associated with climate variability is
integral to a comprehensive strategy for adapting
agriculture and food systems to a changing climate.
• The extent and nature of negative impacts imposed by
climate change can be managed by effective
adaptation.
4. Introduction…Contd• In the context of climate change, adaptation refers to
adjustments in human and natural systems to respond to
actual or expected climate impacts(IPCC).
• Climate change adaptation is a process of socio-
institutional co-learning that recognizes often-competing
goals and processes and uses information at various levels
and in many ways to reduce vulnerability to climate risks.
5. Five objectives linked to the globally agreed Hyogo framework for action
(HFA)
Strengthen national disaster risk management strategies and
institutions
Ensure risk and vulnerability assessments, early warning and
contingency planning and financing- in both rural and urban
areas
Increase and sustain awareness creation, education and
capacity building
Reduce underlying risk and vulnerability (and integrate DRR
into sector planning and practices for example in water,
health, environment)
Improve emergency preparedness and response through
capacity strengthening
National Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
DRM Framework in Ethiopia
6. Specific objectives:
Identify and test innovations in partnership with rural
communities that enable them to better manage
climate-related risk and build more resilient
livelihoods;
Identify and test tools and strategies to use advance
information to better manage climate risk through
food delivery, trade and crisis response;
Support risk management through enhanced
prediction of climate impacts on agriculture, and
enhanced climate information and services.
7. DRM Programme Framework
Divided along six components in three phases and
one enabling environment:
a) Pre-Disaster Phase
1. Prevention
2. Preparedness
3. Mitigation
b) Disaster Phase
4. Response
c) Post-Disaster Phase
5. Recovery and Rehabilitation
d) Enabling Environment
6. Institutional Strengthening
8. DRM Mainstreaming
Roadmap for mainstreaming DRR in different sector
plans and programs at federal, city, and regional levels
Integration of DRR in development plans and land use
and physical plans at regional, city, and woreda levels
Integration of DRR in zoning laws and building
regulations and codes
9. Community Disaster Risk
Management
Community disaster risk mngt. networking
Community response and recovery planning
Community mitigation programming
Community education programs
Community-based early warning system
10. CCA/DRM Integration
Increased adoption of mitigation measures as CC
adaptation initiatives
Integration of DRM and CCA coordination
mechanisms
Climate change financing facilities
Sustainable land management
Environmental management
11. Risk Transfer
Development and marketing of risk transfer
microfinance instruments
Disaster risk and weather-based insurance
Piloting of local government incentives for adoption of
mitigation measures
12. How do we implement adaptation?
Adapting to climate change will depend on
adjustments and changes at every level - from
community-based to national and international.
However, the capacity to adapt will vary significantly
from country to country, community to community
and in particular to the level of development.
13. The impact of adaptation process
• Adaptation process has the potential impact to reduce
adverse effects of climate change and enhance
beneficial developmental activities which can be the
driving force for sustainable development.
• The capacity of human nature to adapt to and cope
with climate change depends on such factors as
wealth, technology, education, information skill,
infrastructure, access to resources, and management
capabilities.
14. Importance of Gender mainstreaming in the process of adaptation
There are gender differences in climate change impacts
and in adaptive capacities. As a great portion of women in
developing countries are involved in agricultural activities
any adaptation measure taken towards that activity is
directly linked women’s day to day life.
Such differences, in vulnerability and also in adaptive
opportunities, should be recognized in the adaptation
process to avoid further increases in gender inequality
and to ensure the successfulness of adaptation policies
and measures.
15. Important points to implement adaptation measures
Adaptation measures should be supported by
investigation and research findings in order to design
appropriate strategies.
In general, the preferred adaptation strategies are actions
with multiple economic and environmental benefits,
including for current and future conditions and needs to
be based on sound scientific assessment.
16. Some Examples in Ethiopian Context
Example1
Change in LGP in Bahir Dar (Ethiopia)
Agricultural Rainfall Index (ARI) during two different periods
(From 1962 – 1992 and 1975 - 2005) (Almaz Demessie 2006)
17. Some Examples in Ethiopian …CONTD
Example 2
Change in mean maximum temperature in Bahir Dar (Ethiopia)
Trend analysis of mean maximum temperature for Bahir Dar from 1961 –
2000 during the cropping season (May – November)
(Almaz Demessie 2004)
18. Some Examples in Ethiopian …CONTD
Example 3
Change in LGP in Negele (pastoral area of Ethiopia)
Length of Growing Period during two different time frames [(1954 –
1983 and 1976 - 2006) (Almaz Demessie 2007)
19. Possible Adaptation Measures
Applying improved knowledge to develop better
techniques and to resist the effect of climate change in
a given locality.
In line with this attention should be given for the
following possible adaptation processes in agriculture.
20. Possible Adaptation Measures…CONTD
• Cultural practices that can precondition for the plant
need to be further explored and implemented to mitigate
the effect of stress factors.
• Change in land use by using deferent techniques such as
changing farm area, change to crops with higher thermal
requirements and drought-tolerant crop, a switch to crops
with lower moisture requirements and changes in crop
location.
21. Possible Adaptation Measures…CONTD
• Change in management in terms of the use of
irrigation, fertilizer, in the control of pests, in soil
drainage, in farm infrastructure.
• Create awareness among people about the causes of
climate changes so that farmers could change their
wrong management practices such as deforestation,
over grazing, etc. which are the main causes for
desertification and climate change at large.
22. Conclusions In order to design and implement sound adaptation
mechanism, appropriate scientific assessment and
research findings have paramount importance, since any
adaptation strategies are actions with multiple
economic and environmental benefits, including for
current and future conditions.
23. Conclusions …CONTD
The range of practices that can be used to adapt to
climate change is diverse, and includes changes in
behavior, structural changes, policy based responses,
technological responses or managerial responses.
