4.2.3. Harvest Loss

Climate change-induced harvest loss due to rainfall shortages in the growing season is one reason for food insecurity in developing countries [55]. There had been harvest losses because of climate change in the study area. This happened due to the shortage of RF during the growing season. Out of 401 HHs interviewed, eighty-two percent (*n* = 329) said that they have experienced harvest losses in the last ten years. The farmers in the study area practice a mixed livelihood: crop cultivation and animal husbandry. When drought occurs, the productivity of both su ffers. The exception is for *enset* crop. Because of its biological characteristics, *enset* has strong drought resistance capacity and has a strong link with animal husbandry. The mixed livelihoods are dependent on RF since there are no small-scale irrigation projects in the study area. During the drought years when animal pasture/grass is scarce, farmers fed their cattle *enset* (false banana). This alternative is less feasible nowadays because of the scarcity of animal dung, which is a critical fertilizer to grow *enset*. As a result, as the number of cattle owned by households dwindles, *enset* production also declines. Thus, climate change is a ffecting the mixed (crop cultivation and animal husbandry) rural livelihood by degrading its natural connection.
