IMPACTS OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY ON SWEET POTATO PRODUCTION AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES AMONG SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN BABILE DISTRICT, EAST HARARGHE ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess climate variability and its impacts on sweet potato production in Babile district. To achieve the objective, primary data was obtained using questionnaire by digital (kobotoolbox), focus group discussion and key informant interviews whereas secondary data were acquired from different published and unpublished documents from various offices of the district. The study also used rainfall and temperature data (2001 – 2022), to asses the impacts of the climate variability on sweet potato production, short-term data (2016-2021) of important stable crop sweet potato in the district office. Out of 2970 household heads founds in the selected three rural kebeles, 350 household heads was randomly selected. Survey data was analyzed through descriptive statistics using the STAT and Microsoft office exel whereas precipitation concentration index, coefficient of variation, MannKendall trend test were calculated using XLSTAT to characterize climate variability, while a correlation was utilized to analyze impacts of climate variability on sweet potato production. Climate data analysis revealed moderate variability for annual rainfall (CV=22%) and high variability for all seasonal rainfall (bega CV=79%, belg CV=31%, kiremt CV=23%). Annual, belg and bega seasonal rainfall showed decrease of -0.11mm, - 0.1mm and -0.1mm respectively over the past 22 years in the study period. On the other hand, the trend of annual maximum, minimum and mean temperature showed upward trends by factors of 0.33, 0.1 and 0.2 0C respectively over the past 22 years. This shows that impact climate variability substantially affects sweet potato production in the area. Mannkendal trend test results revealed that decreasing rainfall and increasing temperature. The outcomes of adaptation strategies were includes crop diversification, fast maturity plant varieties, Soil and Water Conservation techniques, cultivating under other plants and irrigation.