Comparative Analysis of Fruit Tree–Based Agroforestry and Monoculture in Tackling Climate Change Challenges: Evidence from Sofi District, Ethiopia

Abstract

The effects of climate change have hit the agriculture sector in Africa hard. Making adjustments to adapt to the changing environment is critical for countries like Ethiopia, whose primary source of income is subsistence agriculture, which is heavily reliant on rainfall. As a result, establishing context-specific adaptation approaches is crucial for reducing the adverse effects of climate change. This study was conducted at Sofi district, Harari Regional State, Ethiopia, to compare the contribution of fruit tree–based agroforestry and monoculture in tackling climate change challenges. To choose two kebeles and 102 household heads, multistage random sampling was used. Soil and biomass measurements were used to collect soil samples and biomass samples. According to the findings of the study, there are significant differences in how agroforestry and monoculture smallholder farmers deal with climate change challenges in terms of livelihood strategies, with agroforestry smallholders being more resilient. Carbon stock accumulation was estimated to be 453.32 mg ha−1 in agroforestry and 124.7 mg ha−1 in monoculture, where no trees were found on monoculture land. The findings of the study demonstrated that carbon stock accumulation was statistically significant between the mean of soil organic carbon agroforestry land use. Agroforestry systems, in general, contribute significantly more to smallholder livelihoods, as well as the socioeconomic system, in the face of climate change concerns. Incorporating smallholders into an agroforestry system for long-term livelihood sustainability requires support in the form of resources, training, and research. In the face of climate change threats, local, regional, and national governments, as well as financial institutions and other agricultural credit providers, must support smallholders.

Keywords

• land use
• agroforestry
• smallholders’ livelihoods
• climate change
• adaptation
• mitigation