Climate change is an environmental process that is among the most limiting factors for increasing or even maintaining food production by small-farmer communities in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA). Adoption of climate change adaptation strategies that increase agricultural productivity and at the same time building farmers’ resilience capacity has become a top policy priority in SSA. In this study, we investigate how maize-dependent smallholders in Ethiopia adapt to climate change. Both household and plot-level data were collected, and subsequently analysed by a multivariate probit regression model. Results show that most climate change adaptation strategies implemented by maize-dependent smallholders, are complementary. Combining conservation tillage, mixed maize-legume cropping and terracing along with the use of drought-resistant maize varieties allows farmers to increase productivity while building resilience to climate change more than a subset of these strategies. Findings indicate that the likelihood of adopting soil and water conservation practices, drought-resistant maize varieties and chemical fertilizers significantly increase among young and male-headed households as well as farmers having confidence in extension agents and membership in local organisations. Hence, policies should aim at further building agricultural extension agents’ capacity by providing effective and continuous education and training on climate change impacts and responses. Promoting family ties and household memberships in local organisations through facilitating mutual cooperation and communication among farming communities would help to foster adoption of climate change adaptation strategies.

气候变化是一个环境过程，是撒哈拉以南非洲小农社区增加或什至维持粮食生产的最大限制因素之一。采取气候变化适应战略以提高农业生产率，同时提高农民的抵御能力已成为撒哈拉以南非洲的首要政策重点。在这项研究中，我们调查了埃塞俄比亚依赖玉米的小农户如何适应气候变化。收集住户和地块级数据，随后通过多元概率回归模型进行分析。结果表明，由依赖玉米的小农实施的大多数气候变化适应战略都是互补的。结合保护性耕作，玉米-豆科作物的混耕和梯田以及抗旱玉米品种的使用使农民能够提高生产力，同时增强抵御气候变化的能力，而不仅仅是这些策略的一部分。研究结果表明，在年轻的男性户主家庭以及对推广人员和地方组织成员有信心的农民中，采取水土保持措施，抗旱玉米品种和化肥的可能性大大增加。因此，政策应旨在通过提供有效和持续的有关气候变化影响和对策的教育和培训来进一步建设农业推广人员的能力。