Agricultural Adaptation Ethiopia Presentation 052015 Based on an assignment I had some years ago, I like to address Ethiopian agricultural extensionists to deal with some consequences of climate change. The situation in Ethiopia is quite complicated and stronger droughts and floods are to be expected. I take some examples of one of the basic problems in the Ethiopian highlands- erosion, and suggest means to prevent and regenerate it. I also hope to convey the message that wrong land management is often the cause (and/or acceleration) of trouble. Of less importance is how you call these healing measures: bio or eco, conservation farming, agroforestry or climate-smart-agriculture. Reimund Kube

1. Agricultural Adapations to Climate
Change
Some Ideas for Ethiopian Extensionists
Reimund Kube

2. Climate Change means for Ethiopia not only more
droughts but also more rainfall in some highland
areas. As this rain will very probably fall during
extremely heavy precipitation events, the sloping
lands of many already food-insecure small farmers
are especially vulnerable to soil loss/erosion.
HOW TO PREPARE?

3. Deforestation and over-grazing have led to impoverished pastures
and gully-erosion (in the foreground).

4. Many Ethiopians think that the European/North American-style of
monocultural agriculture is the solution- but this only works on
large tracts of fertile, flat land and needs many expensive inputs-
additionally, it creates dangerous environmental and social side-
effects.

5. TROPICAL SMALL FARMERS
NEED MANY DIFFERENT
PRODUCTS
and should follow a path of
diversity- integrating bushes
and trees into their various
crops:

6. They should work along the contour lines, terrace the land or try
to induce a natural terracing, for example by planting vetiver
grass:

7. Even when the
damage is done, stone
walls can be used as
dams to fight erosion:
Often women are the better farmers.
Here they use draft animals and leave
trees in the fields for fodder
production, as fertilizer and as
firewood:

9. It is a good idea to use visual media for education and for
informing and enlightening the public about environmental issues
like climate change and what everyone can do to mitigate it and
adapt to its unavoidable consequences!