Participatory analysis of growing season: A key for understanding and copping drought risk in northern Ethiopia
Abstract
229 words
Prolonged drought is one of the most serious climatic hazards
affecting agricultural production and those most at risk are those
countries currently vulnerable to climate variability. Barley is
one of the economical and staple food crops grown in northern
Ethiopia which is severely affected by drought stress. Given
it’s economically importance, understanding the efficient use
of water for growing barley could contribute to the livelihood
food security in the region. However, there is limited information
as to what extent the water stresses that result from climate
variability could be reduced by improving rainwater use
efficiency. In addition there is limited understanding of rainfall
and other associated factors that affect soil water variability in
the study area. In this research an assessment is being carried
out to study the causes of past crop failure, develop a suitable
technique for assessing drought and explore site-specific need
for copping with drought in northern Ethiopia. At the end of this
research, a suitable and reliable method for assessing drought
risk will be developed; the major agro-meteorological causes
of most devastating drought including the famines of 1984 will
be explicitly identified and ranked based on their importance.
The extent the effect of water stress due to climate variability
could be reduced by improving water use efficiency will be known and finally the most promising drought mitigation strategy
will be proposed for the study area.
Subjects
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