Climate Smart Agriculture Practices Among Smallholder Farmers in Ethiopian Highlands: A Legal and Empirical Analysis

Climate change poses significant challenges to agriculture in the Ethiopian Highlands, where smallholder farmers face increasing drought and erratic rainfall patterns. The study employed a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative interviews with structured questionnaires to gather data from 120 smallholder farmers across three highland districts in Ethiopia. CSA practices, such as rainwater harvesting and drought-tolerant crop varieties, were adopted by at least 45% of the surveyed farmers, indicating a moderate level of interest and implementation effort. While CSA adoption is evident among smallholder farmers in the Ethiopian Highlands, legal frameworks often lack specificity regarding subsidies and insurance programmes essential for its successful implementation. Developing detailed legal guidelines to support CSA practices could enhance their efficacy and sustainability. Additionally, farmer training programmes should be expanded to include technical skills relevant to CSA applications.