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Psychological dimensions of climate change: perceptions, collective efficacy, and responses in Berehet District, north Shoa, Ethiopia

Author

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  • Desalegn Yayeh Ayal

    (Addis Ababa University)

  • Kassahun Tilahun

    (Debre Berhan University)

  • Kassahun Ture

    (Addis Ababa University)

  • Tadesse Terefe Zeleke

    (Addis Ababa University)

Abstract

Human behavior is responsible for global climate change. The impact of climate change is worse in poor countries like Ethiopia whose agriculture heavily relies on rainfall. The aim of this research was to assess farmers’ perceptions and their collective and individual response mechanisms to the impacts of climate variability and extremes.A sequential mixed research design was applied to conduct the research. In the first phase, 22 key informants and 32 FGD participants were purposely selected for the qualitative data. Three decades of areal gridded temperature and rainfall data were collected from the National Meteorological Agency. During the second phase, quantitative data were collected from 124 randomly selected farmers through questionnaire. Appropriate qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques were employed. Accordingly, the study revealed that the district has been experiencing a declining rainfall and increasing temperature. Persistent drought, limited surface and underground water, crop pests, and animal diseases were found to be the main impacts of climate change that harmed agricultural productivity. The traditional causal attribution of climate change to God’s wrath by farmers is decreasing. However, farmers’ collective efficacy to reverse the impact of drought was found to be low. Social loan services, borrowing seeds from relatives, working through joint collaboration (Jegie) have been major indigenous responses. Planting drought resistant crop varieties, rainwater harvesting, destocking, cut and carry livestock feeding, and soil and water conservation measures were the common planned adaptation responses to with stand the impacts of climate variability. Climate variability, especially the recurrent drought events erodes the farmers’ collective efficacy to manage the climate change risk. The introduction of drought resistant crop & livestock varieties, and livelihood diversification intervention could play crucial role to restore their adaptive capacity and confidence.

Suggested Citation

  • Desalegn Yayeh Ayal & Kassahun Tilahun & Kassahun Ture & Tadesse Terefe Zeleke, 2021. "Psychological dimensions of climate change: perceptions, collective efficacy, and responses in Berehet District, north Shoa, Ethiopia," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 165(1), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:165:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s10584-021-03033-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-021-03033-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dan M. Kahan & Ellen Peters & Maggie Wittlin & Paul Slovic & Lisa Larrimore Ouellette & Donald Braman & Gregory Mandel, 2012. "The polarizing impact of science literacy and numeracy on perceived climate change risks," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 2(10), pages 732-735, October.
    2. Anton Eitzinger & Claudia R. Binder & Markus A. Meyer, 2018. "Risk perception and decision-making: do farmers consider risks from climate change?," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 151(3), pages 507-524, December.
    3. Masud Shameem & Salim Momtaz & Anthony Kiem, 2015. "Local perceptions of and adaptation to climate variability and change: the case of shrimp farming communities in the coastal region of Bangladesh," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 133(2), pages 253-266, November.
    4. Maren Radeny & Ayal Desalegn & Drake Mubiru & Florence Kyazze & Henry Mahoo & John Recha & Philip Kimeli & Dawit Solomon, 2019. "Indigenous knowledge for seasonal weather and climate forecasting across East Africa," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 156(4), pages 509-526, October.
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    1. Jabulile Happyness Mzimela & Inocent Moyo, 2023. "A Systematic Review of Collective Efficacy for Supporting Adaptation-Related Responses to Climate Hazards," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-15, June.
    2. William Mun & Erica Garroutte & Iyabo Obasanjo, 2023. "Rising Temperature and the Spatiotemporal Patterns of Foot and Mouth Disease of Livestock in Mongolia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-13, April.
    3. Terasa Younker & Heidi Liss Radunovich, 2021. "Farmer Mental Health Interventions: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-30, December.

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