ABSTRACT
The study assessed the awareness and adoption of change and adaptation measures among arable crop farmers in the northern zone of the Sokoto State Agricultural Development Project.
Five out of the twelve Local Government areas in the zone were purposively selected using multistage random sampling techniques.
Two hundred and forty respondents were randomly selected for the study from the list of registered farmers in the Sokoto State Agricultural Development (SADP).
The random or the purposive selection which was based on their poor climatic conditions, drought and subsequent long period of dry spells in the rainy . Primary data were collected with the of a structured questionnaire.
Analysis of the data was through the use of descriptive , regression analysis and Chi-square analysis. The results showed that all of the respondents were male and married with a mean age of 31 years. The results also showed that 65% had no formal education.
Furthermore, the household size has a mean of 6 persons, farm size has a mean of 2.5ha, farming experience has a mean of 12 years and annual income has a mean of N14, 742.92k.
The adopted adaptation measures were: early planting (100), planting more than one crop (100%), using cover crop (92.9%), using soil conservation techniques (41.7%), and using early maturing crops (35.4%).
The socio-economic factors that were significantly related to adoption were: annual income, farm size, and farming experiences. Constraints to adoption of adaptation measures include: Inadequate operating capital, Illiteracy, Inadequate market and Poor access to extension services.
The need for farmers to form cooperatives societies, provision of adequate extension support services, encouraging formal education through literacy programs, provision of rural infrastructures,
organizing seminars/ workshops on climate change adaptation measures, control of the removal of trees, and creating more rangelands were offered as recommendations.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Dedication ii
Certification iii
Acknowledgement iv
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables ix
List of Figures x
Acronyms and Abbreviations xi
Abstract xiii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Study 1
1.2 Problem Statement 3
1.3 Objectives of Study 4
1.4 Justification of Study 6
1.5 Scope and Limitations 6
1.7 Delimitation 7
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 The Concept of Climate Change 8
2.2 Climate Change and Agriculture 9
2.3 Sokoto State Agro climate and Arable Crops Production 10
2.4 Farm Size, Climate Variability and Arable Crop Production 14
2.5 The Socio-economic Implications of Climate Change 15
2.6 Awareness of Climate Change and it’s with Agriculture 16
2.7 Farmers’ Activities Contributing to Climate Change 17
2.8 Pattern of Climate Change Impact on Agriculture 19
2.9 Indigenous Climate Change Adaptation Practices used by Farmers 23
2.10 Problems Encountered by Farmers in Climate Change Adaptation Measures 27
2.11 Theoretical Framework and Model of Study 28
2.12 Explanation of the Framework 32
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Description of the Study Area 35
3.2 Sampling Technique and Sample Size 37
3.3 Method of Data Collection 38
3.4 Measurement of Study Variables and Operational Definitions 39
3.5 Data Analysis 42
3.6 Model Specification 42
3.6.1 Regression Analysis 42
3.6.2 Chi-Square Analysis 44
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Socio-economic Characteristics of the Respondents 45
4.1.1 Age Distribution of the Respondents 45
4.1.2 Sex 46
4.1.3 Marital Status 46
4.1.4 Household Size 47
4.1.5 Educational Status 48
4.1.6 Respondents’ Occupation 48
4.1.7 Farm Size 49
4.1.8 Source of Farmland 49
4.1.9 Years of Farming Experience 50
4.1.10 Respondents’ Level of Income Per Annum 51
4.2 Respondents’ Production Enterprise 53
4.2.1 Arable Crop Produced 53
4.2.2 Crop Enterprise 53
4.2.3 Production Purpose 54
4.2.4 Determinant of Crop Choice 54
4.3 Awareness, Evidence and Duration of Climate Change 55
4.3.1 Awareness of Climate Change 55
4.3.2 Evidence of Climate Change 56
4.3.3 Duration of Climate Change 56
4.4 Respondents’ Sources of Information on Climate Change 57
4.5 Causes and Effects of Climate Change 58
4.5.1 Causes of Climate Change 58
4.5.2 Effects of Climate Change 59
4.6 Adaptation Measures adopted by the respondents 60
4.7 Respondents’ Constraints to Adoption of Adaptation Measures 62
4.8 Regression Analysis 63
4.9 Chi-Square Analysis 65
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 67
5.2 Conclusion 69
5.3 Recommendations 70
REFERENCES 72
APPENDICES 85
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
According to Ayoade (2006), climate is the mean state of the atmosphere of an area over a defined period of 30 years, while climate change as defined by Anon (2009) is long-term significant environmental changes in the average weather that a given region experiences.
Average weather includes temperature, precipitation, wind, humidity, evaporation, pressure, and solar radiation. It involves changes in the variability or average state of the atmosphere over durations ranging from decades to millions of years.
These environmental changes include higher temperatures and altered precipitation patterns, increased frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods and storms.
These have short and long term socio-economic and political consequences including food insecurity, migration, conflicts over resources, damage to farms and increased spread of endemic water and vector- borne diseases ( Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, (IPCC. 2007).
Climate change is perhaps the most serious environmental threat facing mankind worldwide. It affects crop production in several ways, one of which is its direct impact on food production.
Climatic change, which is attributable to the natural climate cycle and human activities, has adversely affected agricultural productivity in Africa (Ziervogel et al,.2006).
REFERENCES
Adamu, U.(2011), Information Uptake and Extension Satisfactio Among Millet and Soghum Farmers in Tangaza Local Government Area, Sokoto State .Unpublished M.Sc. Dissertation, Department of Agricultural Extensionand Rural Development Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto PP 1-2.
Adejuwon J. O. (2006) ,“Food crop production in Nigeria. II: Potential effects of Climate change” Climate Research Vol. 32 229-245
Adeyeye, V.A (1988):”Economic Profile of the Farmers” In Igben, M.S (ed ). The Nigerian Farmer and Agricultural Institutions: An Assessment: NISER, Ibadan.
Adger, W. N; Huq, S; Brown, K; Conwey, D; and Hulme, M (2003). Adaptation to Climate Change in the developing world. Progress in Development Studies 33131, 179-195.
Adubi, A.A. (1992), An Empirical Analysis of Production Risks and Attitudes of Small farmers in Oyo state. Cited in Amaza P.S.(2000). Resource Use Efficiency in Food Production in Gombe state of Nigeria. A PHD Unpublished thesis.
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