Water is a specifically fragile resource with the frequency and intensity of drought projected to increase. Addressing long-term climate change is thus required to reduce the impacts on livelihoods and bolster major economic sectors such as agriculture, which is the mainstay of the country. In response, and as part of a set of three other Coping with Drought and Climate Change projects in Kenya, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, this project is working to improve the livelihood strategies and resilience of farmers. Through enhanced farming practices and improvement of community-based natural resource management, rural communities are adapting to water scarcity and drought. This project is also establishing the use of early warning systems to bolster resilience in the agricultural sector.

As already observed in recurrent droughts, climate changes such as water shortages and subsequent food insecurity are impacting Ethiopia. The country is particularly prone to drought as well as climate-driven health impacts. Projected increases in temperature and declines in rainfall for the northern half of Ethiopia will negatively affect agricultural production, deteriorate infrastructure and worsen the livelihoods of the rural poor. Predicted climate variability and change will exert additional pressures on the already weakened subsistence economy. Thechosen pilot area, the community of KaluWoreda, in the South Wollo Zone of Ethiopia, has been suffering from recurrent droughts that have pushed their livelihoods to severe poverty and destitution.