Determinants of Women Adaptation to the Potential Impacts of Climate Change: A Case Study in Assosa Woreda, Benshangul Gumez Region, Western Ethiopia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze determinants of women adaptation to potential impacts of climate change. Multinomial logit model was fitted to the data from survey of 150 (one hundred fifty) women headed households. The study was conducted in Benshangul Regional State of Ethiopia, Assosa District from January to June 2015. Women perception on climate was assessed using indicators of climate change .The major climate change adaptation measures women practice in the study area were identified and selected by focus group discussion. The different factors affecting the choice of the practices were identified from literature review and researcher’s knowledge of the contextual setting. Women headed households were purposively selected from the rural area of the district and 150 (one hundred fifty) sample households were randomly selected. Semi-structured questionnaire was administered and the survey was fitted to Multinomial logit model using stata software. The result of the analysis showed that women perceived the presence of climate change very well. Moreover, wealth status, access to climate change information, average distance from home of rivers and forest, education level, access and control over resources, working condition (length of working hour per day) and, area of land owned were the determinants of climate change adaptations. So, poverty, lack of access to climate information, lack of access to education, lack of agricultural extension service, lack of access and control over resources, long distance women walk to fetch water and fuel, and long working hour conditions were barriers of women climate change adaptation decision. Economical empowering of women, improving access of women  to climate information, construction of water schemes near houses, promotion of use of  energy saving cook stoves, improving women access and control over resources and minimizing work load by changing women working condition are suggested interventions to increase women climate change adaptive capacity.