TY - JOUR
T1 - Bespoke Adaptation in Rural Africa? An Asset-Based Approach from Southern Ethiopia
AU - Kidane, Rahwa
AU - Prowse, Martin
AU - de Neergaard, Andreas
PY - 2019/7/1
Y1 - 2019/7/1
N2 - Debates on adaptation in rural Africa rarely consider how responses to climate variability vary by wealth group. This study examines differences across wealth groups based on principal component analysis and cluster analysis triangulated with participatory methods. Results indicate that perceptions of weather variability and extreme events are detected by most households regardless of wealth status. The most common responses—using drought-resistant crops and changing planting dates—are also similar across groups. However, there are significant differences in the type of adaptation options adopted by wealthier and poorer farmers: the former intensify agriculture through improved seed varieties, fertiliser and manure; the latter depend on craft activities, seasonal migration and support from relatives and neighbours. Overall, our findings suggest that measuring asset holdings could allow a differentiated approach to supporting adaptation across socio-economic groups in rural regions in Ethiopia and Africa more broadly.
AB - Debates on adaptation in rural Africa rarely consider how responses to climate variability vary by wealth group. This study examines differences across wealth groups based on principal component analysis and cluster analysis triangulated with participatory methods. Results indicate that perceptions of weather variability and extreme events are detected by most households regardless of wealth status. The most common responses—using drought-resistant crops and changing planting dates—are also similar across groups. However, there are significant differences in the type of adaptation options adopted by wealthier and poorer farmers: the former intensify agriculture through improved seed varieties, fertiliser and manure; the latter depend on craft activities, seasonal migration and support from relatives and neighbours. Overall, our findings suggest that measuring asset holdings could allow a differentiated approach to supporting adaptation across socio-economic groups in rural regions in Ethiopia and Africa more broadly.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85050954316&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1057/s41287-018-0161-4
DO - 10.1057/s41287-018-0161-4
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85050954316
VL - 31
SP - 413
EP - 432
JO - European Journal of Development Research
JF - European Journal of Development Research
SN - 0957-8811
IS - 3
ER -