Abstract

Mengistu K. Tulu, Derartu Defar and Sebhat Kosrof

Understanding household perceptions of climate change and determinants of such perceptions are important for planning community/household based climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.‎ In‎ this‎ study,‎ herding/farming‎ households’‎ perceptions‎ were‎ studied‎ and‎ compared‎ with‎ recorded trends of extreme rainfall and temperature indicators from nearby weather stations across three eco-environments (pastoral, agro-pastoral and mixed crop-livestock highland system) in Ethiopia. Factors influencing household perceptions were assessed using a multinomial logit model. Results indicated that the majority of households (52.5-98.8%) across the three eco-environments perceived increasing numbers of extreme warm days and warm nights and decreasing numbers of extreme cool days and cool nights. In most cases, the household perceptions agreed with the recorded extreme temperature trends. Household perceptions of the studied extreme events were significantly affected by literacy, eco-environment, contact with the agricultural extension service, and presence of relief aid. We conclude that policy programs that enhance the literacy level of household and strengthen ecoenvironment-based extension services may increase the level of awareness and understanding of climate change by households which could help them to better adapt to climate change.