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The Role of Cooperatives in Promoting Climate‐Smart Agriculture: Panel Evidence From Ethiopia

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  • Goytom Abraha Kahsay
  • Yechale Getu Endalew

Abstract

Climate change threatens the livelihood of millions of smallholder farmers in Sub‐Saharan Africa and elsewhere. This paper investigates whether cooperatives could promote climate‐smart agriculture among their members and, through spillover effects on nonmembers in their villages, among their communities at large. For this purpose, we use panel data collected among smallholder farm households in Ethiopia. We find that (i) cooperative membership is positively associated with the number of adaptation practices adopted by farm households; (ii) this association increases with the number of cooperatives of which farm households are members; and (iii) nonmembers in villages with cooperatives adopt more adaptation practices than farm households in villages without cooperatives, although results are statistically significant only for certain types of cooperatives. These results suggest that considering different levels at which climate change adaptation occurs merits greater attention among researchers and policymakers. For example, enhancing the institutional capacity of and creating partnerships with cooperatives could facilitate the implementation of climate change adaptation policies and strategies, including at the farm level.

Suggested Citation

  • Goytom Abraha Kahsay & Yechale Getu Endalew, 2025. "The Role of Cooperatives in Promoting Climate‐Smart Agriculture: Panel Evidence From Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 56(4), pages 637-665, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:56:y:2025:i:4:p:637-665
    DOI: 10.1111/agec.70011
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    1. Agerie Nega Wassihun & Yuchun Zhu & Taye Melese Mekie & Gezahegne Seyoum, 2026. "Beyond single practices: impacts of adopting multiple climate-smart agricultural practices on commercialization among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 31(4), pages 1-36, April.
    2. Ndip, Francis E. & Maina, Cecilia, 2026. "Spousal Cooperation and Agricultural Technology Adoption," Discussion Papers 396426, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).

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