Effect of Climate Variability on Crop Income in Central Ethiopia

Authors

  • Arega Shumetie Ademe Department of Economics, College of Business and Economics, Haramaya University
  • Belay Kassa Pan African University, Africa Union, Addis Ababa
  • Degye Goshu Department of Agricultural Economics: College of Agriculture and Environmental Science. Haramaya University
  • Majaliwa Mwanjalolo Geo Informatics and Climatic Sciences: College of Agriculture and Environmental Science. Makerere University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v5i12.1536-1543.1494

Keywords:

Climate variability, Smallholder, Crop income, Rainfall, Temperature

Abstract

Ethiopian agriculture is a vulnerable sector from effects of climate variability. This study identified how strong is the effect of climate variability on smallholders‘ crop income in Central highlands and Arssi grain plough farming systems of the country. The unbalanced panel data (1994-2014) of the study collected for eight rounds analysed through fixed effect regression. The model result shows that successive increment of crop season rainfall keeping the temperature constant has negative and significant effect on households‘ crop income in the study area. The crop income responds similarly for temperature increment if the rainfall remains constant. Given this, simultaneous increment of the two climate related inputs has positive and significant effect on crop income. Other variables like flood, frost, storm, and rainfall inconsistency in the onset and cessation time affected households‘ crop income negatively and significantly. Similarly, draught power and human labour, which are critical inputs in the crop production of Ethiopian smallholders, have positive and significant effect on crop income as to the model result. Thus, this study recommended that there should be supplementing the rainfall through irrigation, check dam and other activities to have consistent water supply for the crop production that enable smallholders to collect better income. Additionally, negative effect of temperature increment should be curved through adopting long lasting strategies like afforestation.

Author Biographies

Arega Shumetie Ademe, Department of Economics, College of Business and Economics, Haramaya University

PhD in Economics

Belay Kassa, Pan African University, Africa Union, Addis Ababa

Prof. Agricultural Economics

Degye Goshu, Department of Agricultural Economics: College of Agriculture and Environmental Science. Haramaya University

Asso. in Agricultural Economics

Majaliwa Mwanjalolo, Geo Informatics and Climatic Sciences: College of Agriculture and Environmental Science. Makerere University

Asso. Agriculture and Environmental Science

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Published

14.12.2017

How to Cite

Ademe, A. S., Kassa, B., Goshu, D., & Mwanjalolo, M. (2017). Effect of Climate Variability on Crop Income in Central Ethiopia. Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology, 5(12), 1536–1543. https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v5i12.1536-1543.1494

Issue

Section

Agricultural Economics