ANALYSIS OF PERCEPTION AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES OF FARMERS TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN IKARA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
ANALYSIS OF PERCEPTION AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES OF FARMERS TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN IKARA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2015-10
Authors
AJAYI, Noelle Ogbenron
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Abstract
Climate change is a major environmental threat to the African continent, particularly inthe drier regions. There areseveral studies conducted at regional and national level but a continuous understanding of the knowledge and impact at a local level is required for appropriate interventions. This study therefore seeks to examine farmers‘ perceptionto climate change,the adaptation strategies employedand theirvulnerability toclimate change in Ikara LGA of Kaduna State. Samples were drawn from all the 10 wards in the study area and 382copies of questionnairewere purposively administered to households and farmers. The result indicated that majority (91.6%) of the respondents are aware of climate change. Respondents view climatechange as a change in weather, mainly in terms of increase in temperature and incessant rainfall. The results also revealed that in the advent of drought in the area, about 22% of the farmers prefer to cultivate milletbecause it is better adapted to dry infertile soils, high temperature, low precipitation and poor water holding capacity than other crops. To cope with the changing climate, about 84%of the farmers in the study area adopted themethod of plantingvariety of crops, 59% plant drought and flood resistant crops, a little over 54% rear heat tolerant animals, close to 68% mulch crops to reduce water loss. The vulnerability index of the respondents in the study area is 0.42 which reflects a moderate vulnerability. The study concluded that, hindrances to coping with the adopted strategies included inadequate amounts of improved seeds, inadequate funds to acquire newtechniques such as irrigation techniques and improved seed varieties, inadequate information on weather incidence, insufficient knowledge on global current adaptation methods andinadequate water for irrigation.This study recommends that, raising awareness and knowledge about early warning of climate change through mass media, improving extension services which would help farmers understand the major impact of climate change and providing programmes that support female farmers. The combination of these would provideglobal best practice adaptation measures to withstand the effects of climate change, thus making farmers less vulnerable.
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A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY,
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA. NIGERIA
Keywords
ANALYSIS,, PERCEPTION,, ADAPTATION STRATEGIES,, FARMERS,, CLIMATE CHANGE,, IKARA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA,, KADUNA STATE,, NIGERIA