ABSTRACT This study investigates the effectiveness of indigenous knowledge as an adaptation strategy to minimize the adverse impacts of climate variability on the livelihoods of the communities: the case of Harshin Woreda of Ethiopian Somali Regional State. The study focused both qualitative and quantitative data from primary and secondary sources and the main data collection sources were through the combinational use of questionnaires, focus group discussions and key informants interview through the use probability and non-probability sampling techniques. The materials for the study were drawn mainly from four purposively selected kebeles, namely; Kudaramale, Sogsog, Adadle, and Garabeldan. The results of the study depict that Harshin communities are repeatedly hit by recurrent droughts and however, most of them (49.15) do not know about climate change. More than half (44.2%) of the respondents associated the cause of climate change and variability risks with the will of Allah. But, the climate variability is reported to have a significant adverse effect on food security, income, crop yield, biodiversity, food prices and other variables. As a result, the community has been utilized indigenous coping and adapting strategies which includes herd mobility, herd diversification, splitting of herds and families, adjusting planting date, and food reserve. Among these, the highest percentage (25.5%) of the households preferred herd mobility at times of stress. Therefore, the use of indigenous adaptation strategies alone can’t fully withstand the hazards of climate variability. The research concludes that communities whose livelihoods are sensitive to the variability of climatic factors are the most affected. As a result, an alternative ways of improving the resilient capacity of the community needs to be researched and supported with scientific interventions together with indigenous knowledge of the community which is an imperative means to reduce the impacts of climate variability instead of employing indigenous knowledge alone to withstand the ever-changing adverse impacts of climate variability. Key Words: Climate Change, Climate Variability, Indigenous Knowledge, Adaptation Strategies, Harshin woreda