ASSESSMENT OF HOUSEEHOLD LEVEL OF ADAPTATION TO DROUGHT AMONG RURAL COMMUNITIES IN JIGAWA STATE, NIGERIA
ASSESSMENT OF HOUSEEHOLD LEVEL OF ADAPTATION TO DROUGHT AMONG RURAL COMMUNITIES IN JIGAWA STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2018-05
Authors
YAKUBU, Hassan Gwangwan
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Abstract
This study assessed households’ level of adaptation to drought among rural communities in Jigawa state. Rainfall data spanning a period of 35 years (1980-2014) was obtained from Jigawa State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (JARDA) and Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA) Offices in Dutse and Kano respectively. Normalized Rainfall Index (NRI) was used in depicting drought frequency and magnitude. Results show that the study area suffered fifteen drought episodes of different magnitudes representing about 42.86% of the entire period under study. Both frequency and magnitude declined especially in the last decade coinciding with the periods of annual rainfall increase. Results obtained from the questionnaire administered shows that households suffered numerous drought impacts. To assess the most pressing drought impact, drought impacts were ranked using Weighted Average Index (WAI) ranking. Famine, high food prices and poverty were the most impacting drought effects in the study area; ranking first, second and third respectively. Households through experience developed various adaptation strategies to mitigate the impact of drought. To assess the most effective adaptation strategy, Weighted Average Index ranking was used. Among the fifteen ranked adaptation practices, fatting, fertilizer and cash crops ranked first, second and third respectively. Problem Confrontation Index (PCI) was used in assessing households’ constraints against effective adaptation. Respondents rated lack of fertilizer as the most problematic constraints against effective adaptation. Federal government should improve accessibility to, and affordability of fertilizer and other farm inputs. Governments and nongovernmental organizations should intensively exploit abundant underground water resources to enhance and increase irrigation activity; as of now, it is limited to the very scarce river banks and some low land terrain.
Description
A PHD DISSERTATION SUBMITED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA, IN FARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE IN GEOGRAPHY
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, FACULTY OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
ZARIA
Keywords
ASSESSMENT,, HOUSEHOLD LEVEL,, ADAPTATION,, DROUGHT,, RURAL COMMUNITIES,, JIGAWA STATE,, NIGERIA