1. “EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON AGRICULTURE PARTICULARLY IN SEMI-ARID
TROPICS OF THE WORLD WITH SOME EXAMPLES OF SELECTED AREAS OF ETHIOPIA”
BY
ALAMZ DEMESSIE
SENIOR AGERO METEOROLOGIST (RFM, LEAP AND GEONETCAST FOCAL PERSON)
DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT AND FOOD SECURITY SECTOR, ETHIOPIA
THE SECOND REGIONAL CLIMATE AND IMPACT MODELING WORKSHOP FOR EASTERN AFRICA, ADDIS ABABA , ETHIOPIA
NOVEMBER 14 – 19, 2011
2. OUTLINE OF THE TOPIC
Introduction
Some examples in Ethiopian Context
Possible Adaptation Measures
Conclusions
3. INTRODUCTION
Climate is the average weather parameters,
usually 30 years of a given locality. The
measures of climate include mainly the
estimates of average values of weather
parameters and measures of variability near
to the average value.
There may be real shifts of the average or
changes in variability between two periods.
These deviations from the mean value
constitute climate variation or change.
4. INTRODUCTION
The rainfall variability in the rainy seasons is
the most serious problem encountered by
Ethiopian farmers. Therefore, it is very
important to clearly understand the
characteristics of weather parameters
together with the triggering factors that exert
significant impacts.
5. INTRODUCTION
• The extent and nature of negative impacts
imposed by climate change on agriculture can
be managed by effective adaptation measures.
• In the context of climate change, adaptation
refers to adjustments in human and natural
systems to respond to actual or expected
climate impacts.
• 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
6. INTRODUCTION
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.
7. INTRODUCTION
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.
8. INTRODUCTION
Many research studies have stated that
meteorological parameters like rainfall,
temperature and wind play an important role
in changing agricultural production more than
other parameters.
Any deviation from the mean climatic
condition would affect agricultural activities
negatively. Agriculture can show little
sensitivity to moderate variations around
those means.
14. POSSIBLE ADAPTATION MEASURES
• Cultural practices that can precondition for
the plant need to be further explored and
implemented to mitigate the effect of stress
factors.
• Change in management in terms of the use
of irrigation, fertilizer, in the control of pests,
in soil drainage, in farm infrastructure.
15. POSSIBLE ADAPTATION MEASURES…CONTD
• Change in land use by using deferent
techniques such as change to crops with
higher thermal requirements and drought-
tolerant crop, a switch to crops with lower
moisture requirements and changes in crop
location.
16. POSSIBLE ADAPTATION MEASURES…CONTD
• 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.
17. 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, for current and future conditions.
18. 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.
