Assessing the complementarity and tradeoffs of climate smart agriculture adoption in northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

Despite being highly dependent on erratic rainfall and frequently affected by drought and low productivity, agriculture remains the dominant economic activity in Ethiopia. The use of Climate-Smart Agriculture technologies can improve farming productivity, make it more resilient, and help fight climate change by using five Climate-Smart Agriculture practices: growing different crops, raising different animals, using irrigation, planting trees alongside crops, and applying chemical fertilizers in selected areas. Data were collected from 236 households using a multistage sampling technique and gathered through structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions, the multivariate probit model revealed that key determinants of Climate-Smart Agriculture adoption included the gender of the household head, education level, farm size, income, access to irrigation, availability of credit, extension services, and farming experience. To advance crop and livestock diversification, policymakers should expand irrigation infrastructure, strengthen extension services, and integrate climate-smart advisory programs. Promoting irrigation adoption requires improved access to credit, timely climate information via SMS, farmer training, and targeted awareness campaigns for experienced farmers. There is also clear evidence of complementarity and trade-offs in the adoption of multiple Climate-Smart Agriculture practices in the study area.