Rural Household Perception of Drought Occurrence and Its Influence on Livelihood Strategy in Northeast Ethiopia

Table 3

Respondents’ perceptions of drought occurrence and climate variability.

Options	Dega		Woina-Dega		Kolla
	N	%	N	%	N	%
Did rainfall come on time during the rainy (keremet and Belg) seasons?
Yes	35	29.7	31	26.3	19	16.1
No	83	70.3	87	73.7	99	83.9
Have you seen enough rain at the start of the rainy season?
Yes	22	18.6	25	21.2	15	12.7
No	96	81.4	93	78.8	103	87.3
Did the rain stop on time in your locality?
Yes	24	20.3	29	24.6	20	16.9
No	94	79.7	89	75.4	98	83.1
Do you think the climate in your area has varied in the last 25 years?
Yes	118	100	113	95.8	118	100
No	—	—	5	4.2	—	—
How has the winter (dry season) temperature changed over the last 25 years?
Increased	110	93.2	113	95.8	114	96.6
Decreased	8	6.7	5	4.2	4	3.4
How has the winter rainfall changed in the last 25 years?
Increased	4	3.4	4	3.4	2	1.7
Decreased	114	96.6	114	96.6	116	98.3
How has the summer temperature changed in the last 25 years?
Increased	108	91.5	115	97.4	115	97.5
Decreased	10	8.5	3	2.6	3	2.5
How has the keremet and Belg season rainfall changed over the last 25 years?
Increased	5	4.2	7	6	—	—
Decreased	113	95.8	111	94	118	100
How have the variations in extreme heat waves affected you over the last 25 years?
Increased	118	100	116	98.3	118	100
Decreased	—	—	2	1.7	—	—
How have the variations in extreme cold waves affected you over the last 25 years?
Increased	118	100	118	100	118	100
Decreased	—	—	—	—	—	—
How have you observed changes in heavy rainfall events in the past 25 years?
Increased	13	11	15	13	9	8
Decreased	105	89	103	87	109	92
How have you experienced the changes in sporadic rain in the past 25 years?
Increased	118	100	118	100	118	100
Decreased	—	—	—	—	—	—
How have you experienced the changes in the drought over the past 25 years?
Increased	118	100	118	100	118	100
Decreased	—	—	—	—	—	—
How do you perceive the status of the drought in your area?
Extreme drought	22	63.5	32	27.1	59	50
Severe drought	75	9.3	66	55.9	52	44.1
Moderate drought	11	8.4	18.6	9.3	7	5.9
No drought	10		119	7.6	—	—
Do you feel the frequency, duration, and severity of droughts have increased?
Yes	118	100	118	118	118	100
No	—	—	—	—	—	—