Crop switching as an adaptation strategy to climate change: The case of Semien Shewa Zone of Ethiopia
Using a survey of 190 households in Semien Shewa Zone, Ethiopia, this paper examines crop switching as a climate adaptation strategy. Crop switching is expected to substantially reduce the damage from climate change in agriculture.
The study reveals that crop abandoning is associated with climate change, while the adoption of new crops is primarily motivated by price changes. Most farmers who abandoned at least one crop adopted mung bean, primarily due to its price advantages. As expected, crop switching as an adaptation strategy is more prevalent in drier and hotter agroecologies. The findings are particularly relevant for adaptation planning in the context of smallholder agriculture.