DEBRE BERHAN UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES, DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES Assessing Indigenous Practices for Climate Change Adaptation by Smallholder Farmers in Menz Gera Woreda, North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia By Yirga Mashilie A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Debre Berhan University, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Environment and Sustainable Development June 2020 Debre Berhan DEBRE BERHAN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT F GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES Assessing Indigenous Practices for Climate Change Adaptation by Smallholder Farmers in Menz Gera Woreda, North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia By Yirga Mashilie A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Debre Berhan University, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Environment and Sustainable Development Advisor: Gebre Tafere (PhD) June 2020 Debre Berhan i DECLARATION I declare that this thesis has been completed independently and unaided and that no other sources other than the ones given here have been used. Furthermore, this work has never been submitted at any other time and anywhere else as a final thesis. Name: Yirga Mashilie Place: Debre Berhan University Date of Submission: June 2020 Signature: ___________________ ii Debre Berhan University School of Graduate Studies This is to certify that the thesis prepared by Yirga Mashilie entitled: ‘Assessing Indigenous practices for climate change adaptation by smallholder farmers in Menz Gera Woreda, North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia’ and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science (Environment & Sustainable Development) compiles with the regulations of Debre Berhan University and meets the accepted standards with respect to originality and quality. Signed by Examining Committee: _________________ _____________ ____________ External Examiner Signature Date _________________ ____________ __ _____________ Internal Examiner Signature Date ________________ _____________ _____ ____________ Advisor Signature Date iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like express my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Dr Gebre Tafere, for his relentless guidance, valuable consultation, insightful comments and priceless encouragement at various stages of this work despite his new assignment and all overlaps and crammed schedules. I really submit double portion of thanks. My sincere thanks to Mister Mandefro W/aregay, woreda land management and utilization office, his valuable ideas, comments and encouragement is beyond imagination, not only in the courses of this study but also my career, could not be expressed in this tiny paragraph. Y.M iv Table of Contents DECLARATION .......................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents ........................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. Acronyms ..................................................................................................................................................... ix List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................ x List of Figures .............................................................................................................................................. xi Abstract ....................................................................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background of the Study............................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem .............................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Objectives of the Study ................................................................................................................. 4 1.3.1 General objective .................................................................................................................. 4 1.3.2 Specific Objectives ............................................................................................................... 4 1.4. Research Questions ....................................................................................................................... 4 1.5. Scope of the Study ........................................................................................................................ 5 1.6. Limitations of the Study ................................................................................................................ 5 1.7. Significance of the study ............................................................................................................... 5 1.8. Organization of the Study ............................................................................................................. 5 CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................................................... 6 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE .................................................................................................... 6 2.1. Climate Change and Variability .................................................................................................... 6 2.2. Perception of Climate Change ...................................................................................................... 7 v 2.3. Vulnerability to Climate Change and Variability ......................................................................... 8 2.4. Impact of Climate Change in Africa ............................................................................................. 9 2.5. Impacts of climate change on agriculture................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.6. Climate Change and Variability in Ethiopia ............................................................................... 13 2.7. Impact of climate change and variability .................................................................................... 14 2.7.1. Impact of climate change on agriculture ............................................................................. 14 2.7.2. Impacts on pests and pathogens .......................................................................................... 15 2.7.3. Impacts on nutrition ............................................................................................................ 16 2.7.4. Impacts on groundwater availability ................................................................................... 16 2.7.5. Impact on soil organic matter and soil quality .................................................................... 16 2.7.6. Climate change effects on nutrients .................................................................................... 17 2.7.7. Impacts on livestock production ......................................................................................... 17 2.7.8. Impacts on settlement and infrastructure ............................................................................ 17 2.8. Indigenous Knowledge and Climate Change Adaptation ........................................................... 18 2.9. Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................................... 19 CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................................................... 21 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................... 21 3.1. Description of Study Area........................................................................................................... 21 3.2. Research Methodology ............................................................................................................... 27 3.2.1 Research design................................................................................................................... 27 3.2.2 Sampling techniques ........................................................................................................... 28 3.3 Data collection tools ................................................................................................................... 30 3.3.1 Focus Group Discussion (FGD) .......................................................................................... 31 3.3.2 Key Informant Interview ..................................................................................................... 31 3.3.3 Household Survey Questionnaire ........................................................................................ 31 3.3.4 Observation