Veterinary and Animal Science (Jun 2022)

Effects of climate variability on livestock productivity and pastoralists perception: The case of drought resilience in Southeastern Ethiopia

  • Matiwos Habte,
  • Mitiku Eshetu,
  • Melesse Maryo,
  • Dereje Andualem,
  • Abiyot Legesse

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16
p. 100240

Abstract

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This study examines the perception of the pastoral community on climate change and performance, resilience and adaptive capacity of livestock under climatic stress in southeastern Ethiopia. The study used a mixed research approach whereby quantitative and qualitative data were gathered from multiple sources to address the impacts of climate variability on livestock production and livelihood of pastoral-agro-pastoral communities of Guji zone. Data about pastoralist perception on climate change were collected from 198 randomly selected households using a semi-structured questionnaire. Furthermore, climate data were obtained from the national meteorological agency, and climatic water balance was assessed. The household survey result indicated increasing patterns of temperature (82.8%)and drought intensity (84.8%). Majority of respondents perceived decreasing trends of rainfall and feed availability. Similarly, the trend analysis of rainfall showed declining trends of annual (-4.7 mm/year), autumn (-4.5 mm) and winter (-0.54 mm). Rainfall Anomaly Index identifies 13 drought years over the past 32 years, of which 53.85% occurred between 2007- 2017. Significantly higher (p<0.01) cattle and small ruminants than camel per household died during the disastrous drought occurred in 2008/9 and 2015/16. Nonetheless, the result indicated significantly higher (p<0.01) amounts of milk yield (3.32 litre/day) of dairying camel during dry periods than cattle and small ruminants. Camel and goats are perceived as drought-resistant livestock species and cattle keepers shifting to have more camel and goat in response to prevailing drought in the study area. Poor attention is given to identify climate-smart/resilient livestock species and strains. Therefore, extensive investigations are required to select and identify purpose-specific camel and goat strains for drought-prone areas.

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