Managing Climate Change in Africa: Balancing Social and Environmental Factors in Crop Selection in Southwestern Ethiopia

This research explores the factors shaping farmers’ decision-making processes in crop selection in southwestern Ethiopia. It examines whether free choice, constraints, or a combination of the two shape their decisions. Understanding the interaction of these complex factors provides valuable insights into the intricate decision-making processes used by local farmers, shedding light on the links between social and environmental elements that shape agricultural practices. Data were collected using a combination of ethnographic methods and relevant literature, showing that decisions made by farmers between maize and indigenous crops were informed by a combination of social and environmental factors, and farmers weighed these factors differently based on their individual circumstances, local conditions, and priorities. There is a clear indication that the region’s farming system is becoming dominated by the more lucrative maize, the farming and food processing technologies of which are compatible with technological traditions. Agricultural incentives also favor maize over indigenous grains, impacting crop choices made by farmers, and this growing dominance is leading to a decline in indigenous cereal crop cultivation, which is threatening the region’s sustainability and resilience.