Abstract:
Climate change has been recognized as one of the highest environmental problems that the
humankind faced in this century. Climate change and variability affects all global society, while
pastoral community is more vulnerable to the impact. The objective of this study is to investigate
the climate variability, its effect and determinant of adaptation strategies among pastoral
households in Harshin District, Fafan Zone Somali regional state, Ethiopia. This study employed
mixed method research design that combine both quantitative and qualitative approach. The study
used both primary and secondary data collected from household questionnaire survey, focus
Group discussion and Key Interview Informants. The study also used climate data for the period
between 2008 to 2023. A total of 186 sampled households were randomly selected from two kebeles.
Descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage were used to analyze demographic, socio
economic and institutional characteristics of the sample respondents. Mann-Kendall test and
coefficient of variation (CV) were employed to analyze trend and variability of seasonal and
annual rainfall and temperature. The study also employed multinomial logit model to identify
factors that determines pastoral households’ preference on choice of adaptation strategies. The
findings of this study showed that rainfall decreased in general with high variability, while,
temperature showed increase with low variability. Most of the surveyed households reported that
climate variability affected their livelihood negatively. According to the finding pastoral
households used different adaptation strategies such as mobility, destocking, herd splitting and etc.
The results of multinomial logit regression showed that sex, age, family size, active members in
the family, livestock holding, income, finance support, credit access, access to climate information
are significant factors that influence adaptation strategies of the pastoral households. Hence, to
increase adaptive capacity of the society, this study recommends increase in financial support,
extension services and trainings, climate information and early warnings, implementations of
climate smart agricultural practices. Lastly, further studies should be conducted to contribute to
the efforts in all levels.
