JOURNAL OF DEGRADED AND MINING LANDS MANAGEMENT ISSN: 2339-076X (p); 2502-2458 (e), Volume 5, Number 2 (January 2018): 1085-1102 DOI:10.15243/jdmlm.2018.052.1085 Research Article Rural communities’ vulnerability to farmland poverty in varied ecological settings of northwest Ethiopia Menberu Teshome* Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia. Po Box 272. * [email protected], [email protected] Received 10 December 2017, Accepted 20 December 2017 Abstract: Environmental and climate changes are among the serious threats to the world’s land resources in the 21st Century. Particularly, in the developing countries the impact inevitably goes as the continuing toll on agricultural production, human lives, and properties.It is also a driving force of poverty and impediment of overall economic development in many less developed nations, like Ethiopia. Therefore, this paper assesses the rural communities’ vulnerability to farmland poverty in different ecological settings of northwest Ethiopia. Data were collected from 525 randomly selected farming households using questionnaire.Meteorological data were collected from Global Weather Data for soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) from 1979 to 2010. Rainfall and temperature trends were characterized using simple linear regression model. Rural communities’ vulnerability to farmland poverty was determined using livelihood vulnerability index (LVI). Indices were constructed using simple and weighted average approaches to measure farmlands’ exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Overall communities’ levels of vulnerability to farmlands poverty were found to be 0.61 in the lowland, 0.46 in the flat highland and 0.58 in the midland areas. In almost all indicators the lowland (Abay Valley) is more vulnerable to farmland-related troubles as the biophysical and socio-economic contexts were found to be the worst there. Communities and government and non-government officials have observed significant negative impacts of drought and extreme weather events on farmlands, and pasturelands with declining availability, productivity and quality of farmlands. This study suggests education and research interventions for enhancing community-based participatory integrated watershed management approach supported with best indigenous knowledge and farmers’ practices. Adaptation interventions should also consider local communities’ resource capacity (low-cost investment in sound farmland and soil management techniques). Keywords: ecological setting, environmental change, farmland, northwest Ethiopia, vulnerability index To cite this article: Teshome, M. 2018. Rural communities’ vulnerability to farmland poverty in varied ecological settings of northwest Ethiopia. J. Degrade. Min. Land Manage. 5(2): 1085-1102, DOI: 10.15243/jdmlm. 2018.052.1085. Introduction deteriorating land resources due to exacerbated land degradation, soil erosion, evapo- Land is a highly valued natural capital for agrarian transpiration, and harming of fauna and flora communities in the provision of valuable goods (Barungi and Maonga, 2011). Environmental and and services (Sullivan, 2002; Barungi and climatic changes are real ecological threats that Maonga, 2011). However, this precious natural are facing our world today and become the asset has experienced persistent pressure from a growing concern for scholarly and policy range of direct and indirect socio-economic communities. The impact of climate change has driving forces (Sullivan, 2002). Indeed, they are become the continuing toll on land resources, severely affected by environmental and climatic human lives and properties and intern agent of changes exposing the rural communities to pervasive poverty, particularly in many emergent vulnerability to farmland poverty through countries (Lal, 2005; IPCC, 2007). Environmental www.jdmlm.ub.ac.id 1085 Rural communities’ vulnerability to farmland poverty in varied ecological settings of northwest Ethiopia and climate changes occur as a result of both 2010; Admassie et al., 2006; NMA, 2007). natural and human-induced causes. The natural Natural resources conservation efforts and causes may include the sun’s solar radiation, extension packages intended for productivity gain earth’s orbit, drifting continents, volcanic for which millions of dollars have been spent eruptions and greenhouse gases (GHGs). Before since 1980s have been severely challenged. The the Industrial Revolution, human activities recently designed participatory-community based including agriculture released very few gases into integrated watershed development plans to the atmosphere. After Industrial Revolution, augment environmental sustainability, enhance through fossil fuel burning, changing agricultural natural resource management and food security practices and deforestation, the natural and then to reduce poverty have continued in composition of atmospheric gases is increasing trouble. Traditional coping mechanisms have and began to alter the earth’s climate system failed, food insecurity continued, and in turn, (Houghton, 2009). Indeed, human-induced dependency on external support is still common. climate change adds new unpredictable threats to This implies that climate change and land societies not only due to the occurrence of these degradation are intimately interlinked in creating extreme events but also due failures to adequately adverse effects on natural and human systems. In address persistent poverty (Schipper, 2004) and the light of this, Tesfaye (2003) argued that the mounting environmental resources degradations legacy of the previous efforts did not leave (World Bank, 2008; FAO, 2009) northern Ethiopia with the outcomes promised Nowadays, majority of scientific evidences three decades ago, regarding sustainable land indicate that climate is changing in an accelerated use, natural resources management and food rate and will continue so in the coming century security. (Adger et al., 2003; IPCC, 2007; Houghton, Although there have been studies conducted 2009). IPCC (2007) report asserted that the on environment and climate change-related issues warming of the climate system is now in Ethiopia some dealt with different shocks unequivocal as is evident from the increasing (Dercon, 2004) and shocks-consumption atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide from relationships (Dercon et al., 2005) while others a pre-industrial value of 278 parts per million to examined the rainfall and crop production nexus 379 parts per million in 2005, the average in the zonal, state and national level without temperature rose by 0.74° C, and increasing addressing vulnerability to climate change-induce occurrence of extreme events over the past risks (Segele and Lamb, 2005; Woldeamlak, century. A particular rate of warming has taken 2009). Still others analyzed yield or monetary place over the last 30 years since accurate records impacts and adaptation measures (NMSA, 2001; began about 100 years ago. Moreover, 12 of the Yosuf et al., 2008, Temesgen, 2007; Temesgen et 13 warmest years have occurred from 1995 to al., 2009; You and Ringler, 2010). Aklilu and 2007 (UNFCCC, 2007; Houghton, 2009). The Alebachew (2009) and Yohannes and Mebratu IPCC’s projections for the 21st century further (2009) examined climate induced-hazards, show that global warming will continue to impacts, responses, and local innovations in accelerate even with ambitious reduction of climate change adaptation restricted to the greenhouse gas emissions. Predictions by 2100 pastoral lowlands. Other handful studies were also range from a minimum of 1.4°C to a maximum of done on perception and adaptation without 5.8°C rise in average temperatures with far more integrating vulnerability (Conway and Schipper, than human experience (UNFCCC, 2007; 2010; Veronesi, 2010; Temesgen et al., 2009). Houghton, 2009). Smit et al. (1999) and You and Ringler (2010) Climate and environmental changes have contend that without understanding the nature of posed considerable impact on natural resource vulnerability, and adaptive capacity, it is difficult dependent rural communities for their livelihoods. to acquire better knowledge of adaptation. Ethiopia, one of the least developed countries of To what extent the rural communities’ are Sub-Saharan Africa, is highly vulnerable to vulnerable to farmland poverty was not addressed climate change-induced extreme risks. The NMA except blaming drought events, severe land (2001, 2007) assessment report asserts that degradation, and misdeeds of the previous agriculture, water resource and human health were regimes. Albeit the efforts in searching for found to be the most vulnerable sectors in previous studies the author has failed to get Ethiopia. Recurrent droughts, floods and severe research that investigated local communities’ erosions on the fragile ecosystems have increased vulnerability to farmlands poverty in different the probability of risk occurrence on poor ecological settings in an inclusive manner. people’s livelihood resources on which future Therefore, the objective of this study is to generations will also depend (You and Ringler, determine the vulnerability levels of rural Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management 1086 Rural communities’ vulnerability to farmland poverty in varied ecological settings of northwest Ethiopia communities’ to farmland poverty in three of Ethiopia) were included in the research drawn ecological settings of northwest Ethiopia. from the three ecological areas. Dabat