ABSTRACT
Ethiopia's agricultural production is dominated by subsistent farmers who make the country one of the most vulnerable to weather variability and climate change in the continent. Agricultural crop production requires farmers to produce the maximum output for a given level of possible input use. Cereals as Ethiopia's major food crop are especially vulnerable to the adversities of weather variability and climate change. The country's climate is characterized by a history of climate extremes such as droughts and floods, increasing trends in temperature and a decreasing trend in rainfall with increasing variability. Ethiopia is characterized by a diverse topography and various atmospheric systems that result in varying climatic conditions in the country. Ethiopia's ecological system is fragile and vulnerable to climate change and is characterized by diverse topographic features that have led to the existence of a range of agro-ecological zones each with distinctly varied climatic conditions.
