Abstract:
Different authors have shown that the factors that influence the climate change adaptation
decisions of female are different from those that influence the adaptation decisions of male.
However, the particular determinant factors of women adaptation to climate change was not
separately considered in studies conducted on the different adaptation mechanism. This study
analyzed determinant of women adaptation to potential impacts of climate change in Assosa
Woreda .In the study both Primary and secondary data were analysed. Meteorological data of
Assosa Station from 1980 to 2013 was collected from Addis Ababa NMA. Primary data (existing
climate change adaptation mechanisms and potential factors) were collected from focus group
discussion and empirical literature. This was analyzed using multinomial logit model fitted to
data from survey of 150(one hundred fifty) households semi-structured questionnaire. Major
existing adaptation mechanisms were identified by focus group discussion. The variability and
trend of temperature and rainfall of the area was analyzed using variability indices (CV, PCI
and SAI) and Man-Kendall trend test respectively. The major adaptation methods identified were
crop diversification , pesticide use, planting trees, crop rotation, shifting cultivation and shifting
to non-farming activities mainly firewood and charcoal sale, and gold mining. The result of the
analysis using the fitted multinomial logit model showed that wealth, access to climate
information, distance from home of rivers and forest, education level, access and control over
resources, working condition and, area of land owned were significant factors of climate change
adaptations. From the analysis it can be concluded that: 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
condition was barriers of women climate change adaptations. Government policies and
implementing bodies should support economical empowering of women, improving access of
women to climate information, construction of water schemes near houses, promote use of
energy saving cook stoves, improve access to electricity of rural area, improve women access
and control over resources and minimize work load by changing women working condition.