Climate and Environmental Changes: Vulnerabilities and Adaptations

Nowadays climate and environmental changes are threatening the resilience of human and ecological systems and making them vulnerable to their impacts and feedback. The impacts and feedback are particularly devastating for Sub-Saharan African countries that have low affluence to adapt. Time series analysis of the study area show that mean maximum and minimum temperature for the period 1983-2014 has increased by 0.047°C/yr and 0.028°C/yr respectively. However, the total rainfall has declined by 10.16 mm per annum. These have been in agreement with farmers¿ perceptions. Regarding environmental changes, agriculture and settlement areas have increased by about 250% and 618%, respectively while forests and woodlands have decreased by about 72% and 84%, respectively in the period 1986-2016. These combined changes have resulted in resource depletion and increase the vulnerability of the socio-ecological systems in the region. The results show that 21%, 47% and 32% of the aggregate households fall under the vulnerability index categories of 0¿VI¿0.45, 0.45