PERCEPTIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND PROPOSED ADAPTATION STRATEGIES AMONG RICE FARMERS IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

Abstract

One of the main issues affecting the performance of agriculture is climate change, which is widely acknowledged. Proper adaptation measures to mitigate its effects depend on an understanding of climate change. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how farmers in north-central Nigeria who grow rice perceive climate change and the suggested adaption measures. A well-structured questionnaire was utilized to compile a sample of 500 smallholder rice producers employing a multistage sampling technique. Using descriptive statistics, data were examined. The results revealed decrease in rainfall distribution (Mean=2.67). The highest mean score in social level adaptations was recorded on attachment to place (Mean=4.615). Farmers’ response to a perceived change to temperature with the highest mean score in implemented soil/river conservation (Mean=3.84), perceived change to precipitation showed implemented soil/river conservation has the highest mean score (Mean=3.56). Farmers perceived barriers to adaptation indicated lack of information (62.8%), the determinants of adaptation strategies showed access to extension (83.5%), diversifying income (77.3%), and knowledge about climate change (76.3%), household size (76.3%), farm size (74.8%), and farming experience (56.0%). The study suggests that all the key factors that affect farmers’ preferences for adaptation to climate change should be poeticized in light of their perspectives.