**4. Conclusions**

Climate change is a global concern whereby developing countries are the most affected by its impacts. Every ecosystem is affected by climate change impacts and in particular drylands are more vulnerable. Dryland agriculture in Ethiopia is more susceptible to the impacts of climate change as the system is already fragile, degraded and unstable with low, erratic and unevenly distributed rainfall patterns. To optimize the productivity of dryland agriculture and enhance food security for the growing population, the practices of agriculture should be climate compatible which encompasses sustainable development, adaptation and mitigation strategies. To this end GHG emissions are reduced or sequestration enhanced while maintaining and even increasing food supply to attain food security. Indeed, there is a need to reduce forest degradation and deforestation, improve rangeland management, improve livestock feeds and rare drought resistant breeds, use drought resistant and short maturing crop varieties, improve soil and water management (including water harvesting and conservation agriculture).
