Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 1 — Meta-analysis / systematic reviewPeer-reviewed

Climate on the Edge: Impacts and Adaptation in Ethiopia’s Agriculture

Hirut Getachew Feleke; Tesfaye Abebe Amdie; Frank Rasche; Sintayehu Yigrem Mersha; Christian Brandt

Sustainability · 2025

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Summary

This systematic review synthesises evidence from 50 peer-reviewed publications (2020–2024) on the effects of climate change on Ethiopian agriculture, with particular attention to cereal production and livestock feed quality. It identifies key climate stressors — including prolonged drought, temperature rise, and increased pest pressure — as principal drivers of food insecurity among smallholder farmers and pastoralists. The paper also assesses adaptation strategies with potential to build agricultural resilience in the Ethiopian context, drawing on research supported by the Climate Change Effects on Food Security project.

UK applicability

The findings are specific to sub-Saharan African smallholder and pastoral contexts and have limited direct applicability to UK agricultural systems; however, they offer relevant insights for UK-funded development programmes, international food security policy, and organisations working on climate adaptation in East Africa.

Key measures

Cereal yield change; livestock feed quality indicators; frequency and severity of drought and temperature anomalies; adaptation strategy uptake and efficacy

Outcomes reported

The review examines how rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, droughts, and pest outbreaks affect cereal yields and livestock feed quality in Ethiopia, and evaluates the effectiveness of documented adaptation strategies for smallholder and pastoral systems.

Theme
Climate & resilience
Subject
Climate adaptation & food security
Study type
Systematic Review
Study design
Systematic review
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
Ethiopia
System type
Mixed livestock and arable cereals
DOI
10.3390/su17115119
Catalogue ID
NRmo3f02hq-0f7

Topic tags

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