ASSESSMENT OF FARMERS’ PERCEPTION AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN KANO STATE, NIGERIA
ASSESSMENT OF FARMERS’ PERCEPTION AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN KANO STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2014-01
Authors
UDEH, Lawrence Ejeh
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Abstract
Recent research efforts on climate change impacts and adaptation have focused on global and regional assessment using models which paint bigger picture of climate change and only provides estimate of likely consequences. Such efforts, for the most parts, treated each region in isolation and do not integrate assessment potential effects of climate change on specific location. This study which assessed farmers’ perception and adaptation strategies to climate change in Kano introduced location specific or micro-level assessment approach to climate change research in the study area which is currently lacking. Data were collected from a questionnaire survey using sample of 1,750 rural farmers in Kano and Focus Group Discussion was conducted. Simple descriptive statistics and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were the statistics used to analyze the data. The study reveals the following: climate change is present in the area, perception of climate change by farmers in the area, are in line with results of meteorological data records of 10 decades analyzed, farmer’s awareness of climate change in their immediate environment seems to be limited compare to their awareness of global climate change, there are few existing coping and traditional adaptation measures in the area, climate change information dissemination in the state is poor and weak, there is poor preparedness of the people for climate change episode in the state hence the high impacts of climate change on the farmers, some climate change challenges in the area include: High rainfall variability, Floods episodes especially in recent years, Increase incidence of new pest and diseases, extreme heat stress due to increasing temperature, Crops failure due to prolonged dry spells or drought condition. Based on the findings, the following actions by the government of Kano state were suggested: raise farmers awareness on issues of climate change, create conducive policy that will enhance adaptive capacity of the rural farmers, improve on existing support service delivery mechanism, seize on new climate change opportunities, diversify livelihood activity in the state, create small credit programme through its MDG, NEED, Poverty Alleviation Scheme etc. to provide access to fund by the farmers, establish a reliable data base generation system to provide real time rainfall and temperature information at local level. The implications of the study is that there is the need to move from the top to down conventional approach based on climate scenarios generated through general circulation models to bottom to top approach which focuses on more holistic impact assessment and adaptation to climate change, so as to develop policies and adaptation strategies that are precise to specific location
Description
A Dissertation Submitted to the School of Postgraduate Studies, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) Degree in Geography, Department of Geography, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
January, 2014
Keywords
FARMERS’ PERCEPTION,, ADAPTATION,, STRATEGIES,, CLIMATE,, KANO STATE,