IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/wdevel/v200y2026ics0305750x25003559.html

Impact of climate change adaptation on welfare and child nutrition of farm households in rural Ethiopia: A panel data analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Fisiha, Taye T.
  • McPeak, John

Abstract

This study evaluates the potential impact of adopting climate change adaptation practices on the welfare and child nutrition of farm households in Ethiopia. The study uses a balanced panel of household-level data from the Ethiopian Socioeconomic Survey of rural households conducted in 2013/2014 and again in 2015/2016. For household welfare, measures of real consumption expenditure per adult equivalent and a food shortage indicator are used. For child nutrition outcomes, weights for height and body mass index are considered. The potential selection bias introduced by including adoption decisions of climate change adaptation strategies and evaluating how these strategies impact household and child outcomes is addressed by applying a panel data multinomial endogenous switching regression model. The climate change adaptation practice sets considered are categorized as soil and water conservation (SW), crop rotation (CR), and improved inputs (IM), at times alone and also in various combinations. We present findings on what household characteristics make it more or less likely that households will adopt a particular adaptation practice set strategy. The results demonstrate that in many cases, adoption of climate change adaptation practices set is positively associated with improved household welfare and child nutrition outcomes. In addition we find that larger positive impacts are observed when farmers combine multiple complementary practice sets. Our findings imply that policies should encourage smallholder farmers to adopt multiple climate change adaptation practice sets to improve the status of households’ welfare and children’s nutrition.

Suggested Citation

  • Fisiha, Taye T. & McPeak, John, 2026. "Impact of climate change adaptation on welfare and child nutrition of farm households in rural Ethiopia: A panel data analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:200:y:2026:i:c:s0305750x25003559
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2025.107269
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X25003559
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.worlddev.2025.107269?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Barrios, Salvador & Ouattara, Bazoumana & Strobl, Eric, 2008. "The impact of climatic change on agricultural production: Is it different for Africa?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 287-298, August.
    2. Aslihan Arslan & Nancy McCarthy & Leslie Lipper & Solomon Asfaw & Andrea Cattaneo & Misael Kokwe, 2015. "Climate Smart Agriculture? Assessing the Adaptation Implications in Zambia," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 66(3), pages 753-780, September.
    3. Hailemariam Teklewold & Menale Kassie & Bekele Shiferaw, 2013. "Adoption of Multiple Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Rural Ethiopia," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 64(3), pages 597-623, September.
    4. Tavneet Suri, 2011. "Selection and Comparative Advantage in Technology Adoption," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 79(1), pages 159-209, January.
    5. Fentie, Amare & Beyene, Abebe D., 2019. "Climate-smart agricultural practices and welfare of rural smallholders in Ethiopia: Does planting method matter?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 387-396.
    6. Salvatore Di Falco & Marcella Veronesi & Mahmud Yesuf, 2011. "Does Adaptation to Climate Change Provide Food Security? A Micro-Perspective from Ethiopia," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 93(3), pages 825-842.
    7. Ng’ombe, John N. & Kalinda, Thomson H. & Tembo, Gelson, 2017. "Does adoption of conservation farming practices result in increased crop revenue? Evidence from Zambia," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 56(2), March.
    8. Martey, Edward & Etwire, Prince Maxwell & Abdoulaye, Tahirou, 2020. "Welfare impacts of climate-smart agriculture in Ghana: Does row planting and drought-tolerant maize varieties matter?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    9. Wondimagegn Tesfaye & Garrick Blalock & Nyasha Tirivayi, 2021. "Climate‐Smart Innovations and Rural Poverty in Ethiopia: Exploring Impacts and Pathways," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(3), pages 878-899, May.
    10. James Heckman & Justin L. Tobias & Edward Vytlacil, 2001. "Four Parameters of Interest in the Evaluation of Social Programs," Southern Economic Journal, Southern Economic Association, vol. 68(2), pages 210-223, October.
    11. Cheng Hsiao, 2007. "Panel data analysis—advantages and challenges," TEST: An Official Journal of the Spanish Society of Statistics and Operations Research, Springer;Sociedad de Estadística e Investigación Operativa, vol. 16(1), pages 1-22, May.
    12. François Bourguignon & Martin Fournier & Marc Gurgand, 2007. "Selection Bias Corrections Based On The Multinomial Logit Model: Monte Carlo Comparisons," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(1), pages 174-205, February.
    13. Malikov, Emir & Kumbhakar, Subal C., 2014. "A generalized panel data switching regression model," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 124(3), pages 353-357.
    14. Feder, Gershon & Just, Richard E & Zilberman, David, 1985. "Adoption of Agricultural Innovations in Developing Countries: A Survey," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 33(2), pages 255-298, January.
    15. Eucabeth Majiwa & Boon L. Lee & Clevo Wilson, 2018. "Increasing agricultural productivity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions in sub†Saharan Africa: myth or reality?," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(2), pages 183-192, March.
    16. James Heckman & Justin L. Tobias & Edward Vytlacil, 2001. "Four Parameters of Interest in the Evaluation of Social Programs," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 68(2), pages 210-223, October.
    17. Paul Evangelista & Nicholas Young & Jonathan Burnett, 2013. "How will climate change spatially affect agriculture production in Ethiopia? Case studies of important cereal crops," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 119(3), pages 855-873, August.
    18. Jeffrey H. Dorfman, 1996. "Modeling Multiple Adoption Decisions in a Joint Framework," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 78(3), pages 547-557.
    19. John N. Ng’ombe & Thomson H. Kalinda & Gelson Tembo, 2017. "Does adoption of conservation farming practices result in increased crop revenue? Evidence from Zambia," Agrekon, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(2), pages 205-221, April.
    20. Makaiko G. Khonje & Julius Manda & Petros Mkandawire & Adane Hirpa Tufa & Arega D. Alene, 2018. "Adoption and welfare impacts of multiple agricultural technologies: evidence from eastern Zambia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(5), pages 599-609, September.
    21. Christian Dustmann & María Engracia Rochina-Barrachina, 2007. "Selection correction in panel data models: An application to the estimation of females' wage equations," Econometrics Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 10(2), pages 263-293, July.
    22. Menale Kassie & Hailemariam Teklewold & Paswel Marenya & Moti Jaleta & Olaf Erenstein, 2015. "Production Risks and Food Security under Alternative Technology Choices in Malawi: Application of a Multinomial Endogenous Switching Regression," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 66(3), pages 640-659, September.
    23. Salvatore Di Falco & Marcella Veronesi, 2013. "How Can African Agriculture Adapt to Climate Change? A Counterfactual Analysis from Ethiopia," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 89(4), pages 743-766.
    24. Julius Kotir, 2011. "Climate change and variability in Sub-Saharan Africa: a review of current and future trends and impacts on agriculture and food security," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 587-605, June.
    25. Cheng Hsiao, 2007. "Rejoinder on: Panel data analysis—advantages and challenges," TEST: An Official Journal of the Spanish Society of Statistics and Operations Research, Springer;Sociedad de Estadística e Investigación Operativa, vol. 16(1), pages 56-57, May.
    26. William R. Cline, 2007. "Global Warming and Agriculture: Impact Estimates by Country," Peterson Institute Press: All Books, Peterson Institute for International Economics, number 4037, October.
    27. Tahirou Abdoulaye & Tesfamicheal Wossen & Bola Awotide, 2018. "Impacts of improved maize varieties in Nigeria: ex-post assessment of productivity and welfare outcomes," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(2), pages 369-379, April.
    28. Smale, Melinda & Heisey, Paul W & Leathers, Howard D, 1995. "Maize of the Ancestors and Modern Varieties: The Microeconomics of High-Yielding Variety Adoption in Malawi," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 43(2), pages 351-368, January.
    29. Menale Kassie & Paswel Marenya & Yohannis Tessema & Moti Jaleta & Di Zeng & Olaf Erenstein & Dil Rahut, 2018. "Measuring Farm and Market Level Economic Impacts of Improved Maize Production Technologies in Ethiopia: Evidence from Panel Data," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 69(1), pages 76-95, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Martey, Edward & Etwire, Prince Maxwell & Abdoulaye, Tahirou, 2020. "Welfare impacts of climate-smart agriculture in Ghana: Does row planting and drought-tolerant maize varieties matter?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    2. Wondimagegn Tesfaye & Garrick Blalock & Nyasha Tirivayi, 2021. "Climate‐Smart Innovations and Rural Poverty in Ethiopia: Exploring Impacts and Pathways," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(3), pages 878-899, May.
    3. Abdallah, Abdul-Hanan & Abdul-Rahaman, Awal & Issahaku, Gazali, 2021. "Production and hidden hunger impacts of sustainable agricultural practices: evidence from rural households in Africa," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 59(4), January.
    4. Muhammad Faisal Shahzad & Awudu Abdulai & Gazali Issahaku, 2021. "Adaptation Implications of Climate-Smart Agriculture in Rural Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-18, October.
    5. Ray, Srabashi, 2025. "Joint agricultural input use and food security: evidence from Tanzania," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    6. Nguyen Duc Kien & Truong Quang Dung & Dinh Thi Kim Oanh & Le Thanh An & Nguyen Cong Dinh & Nguyen Thai Phan & Le Thi Thanh Nga, 2023. "Climate‐resilient practices and welfare impacts on rice‐cultivating households in Vietnam: Does joint adoption of multiple practices matter?," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 67(2), pages 263-284, April.
    7. Antonelli, Chiara & Coromaldi, Manuela & Pallante, Giacomo, 2022. "Crop and income diversification for rural adaptation: Insights from Ugandan panel data," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    8. Kazushi Takahashi & Rie Muraoka & Keijiro Otsuka, 2020. "Technology adoption, impact, and extension in developing countries’ agriculture: A review of the recent literature," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(1), pages 31-45, January.
    9. Gokul P. Paudel & Jordan Chamberlin & Trung Thanh Nguyen, 2025. "Productivity and Welfare Impacts of Sustainable Intensification in Rice‐Wheat Crop Rotations: Evidence From the Eastern Indo‐Gangetic Plains," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 69(4), pages 892-910, October.
    10. Adane Hirpa Tufa & Arega D. Alene & Julius Manda & Shiferaw Feleke & Tesfamichael Wossen & M. G. Akinwale & David Chikoye & Victor Manyong, 2021. "The poverty impacts of improved soybean technologies in Malawi," Agrekon, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(3), pages 297-316, July.
    11. Varma, Poornima, 2017. "Adoption of System of Rice Intensification and its Impact on Rice Yields and Household Income: An Analysis for India," IIMA Working Papers WP2017-02-03, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
    12. Mercy Nyambura Mburu & John Mburu & Rose Nyikal & Amin Mugera & Asaah Ndambi, 2024. "Assessment of socio-economic determinants and impacts of climate-smart feeding practices in the Kenyan dairy sector," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 29(5), pages 1-25, June.
    13. Zhang, Cheng & Nie, Kunxi & Zhu, Yueji, 2024. "Participation in land rental and labor markets and agricultural economic performance of banana farmers in China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    14. Nsabimana, Aimable & Adom, Philip Kofi, 2024. "Heterogeneous effects from integrated farm innovations on welfare in Rwanda," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 33(C).
    15. Arslan, Aslihan & Belotti, Federico & Lipper, Leslie, 2017. "Smallholder productivity and weather shocks: Adoption and impact of widely promoted agricultural practices in Tanzania," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 68-81.
    16. Mkupete Jaah Mkupete & Jorge Davalos, 2025. "Implications of climate‐smart agriculture technology adoption on women's productivity and food security in Tanzania," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 56(2), pages 247-267, March.
    17. Ali Sher & Saman Mazhar & Iman Islami & Yenny Katherine Parra Acosta & Ramona Balc & Hossein Azadi & Hongping Yuan, 2025. "Land Use Practices: Sustainability Impacts on Smallholder Farmers," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-21, August.
    18. Pan, Dan & Zhang, Ning & Kong, Fanbin, 2021. "Does it matter who gives information? The impact of information sources on farmers’ pesticide use in China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    19. Orkhan Sariyev & Jacob Asravor & Manfred Zeller, 2025. "Poverty and food security impacts of sustainable intensification: Evidence from Ethiopia," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 17(2), pages 405-420, April.
    20. Zhang, Jian & Mishra, Ashok K. & Hirsch, Stefan, 2021. "Market-oriented agriculture and farm performance: Evidence from rural China," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:200:y:2026:i:c:s0305750x25003559. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/worlddev .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.