Climate variability and educational attainment: Evidence from rural Ethiopia

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Development Economics
• Education Policy

Background:

• Education is crucial for poverty reduction.
• Climate variability, through droughts and temperature shocks, can reduce agricultural productivity.
• This reduction impacts educational attainment via nutrition, child labor, and household finances.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the effects of climate variability on schooling outcomes in rural Ethiopia.
• To quantify the relationship between climate shocks and educational attainment and enrollment.

Main Methods:

• Utilized longitudinal socioeconomic, demographic, and schooling data from the Ethiopian Rural Household Survey.
• Linked survey data with high-resolution gridded climate data to assess temperature and precipitation exposure.
• Employed multivariate regression models to analyze climate variability's impact on grade attainment and school enrollment.

Main Results:

• Milder temperatures across all seasons and increased summer rainfall in early life correlate with higher likelihood of completed education.
• Increased summer rainfall during early life and school ages is associated with completed schooling and current school attendance.
• These findings highlight the sensitivity of educational outcomes to climatic conditions.

Conclusions:

• Climate variability poses a significant threat to educational attainment in rural Ethiopia.
• Future climate change may impede school participation in rural Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Addressing climate change is essential for achieving human development and poverty alleviation goals.