ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to examine the “Assessment of agro-climatological information needs of maize farmers in Edo State”. The study specifically describes the socioeconomic characteristics of respondents in the study area, the effect of climate change on farming activities, the various sources of agro climatological information of respondents, the agro climatological information needs of respondents, as well as the constraints faced by maize farmers in accessing agro climatological The study found that more male (51%) are engaged in maize farming in the study are, however, the percentage of female involvement also explain that farming is becoming an activities undertaken by female gender in the study area. This challenge the popular view that farming is an activity for the male counterpart. The study also reveal that older people do not engage in maize farming in the area, this was revealed as only 2% of the total number of respondents of the study are 61years above, while younger people are now found to be engage in farming. This is also a shift from the earlier practice where majority of farmers are older people, this brought the narrative that farming is for the uneducated and jobless. The study saw that 78% of the respondents are below 50 years of age. This supports the findings of Atchikpa, Adzawla, Yegbemey, and Diallo, (2017) who established that strength is needed for engaging in farming. It was also revealed that well educated people of tertiary education level are yet to engage in maize farming in the study area. The study reveal that the farmers who engage in maize farming in the area depends on finance from their friends and family, as well as from their personal savings to run their maize farming business. Furthermore, it was revealed that High sun intensity (90%), Increase in weeds (85%), Heavy wind (82%), Fluctuation in Rainfall (77%), Increase diseases and pests infestation(71%), were the major effects of Climate Change on Farming Activities of the Respondents, while Reduction in maize yield (62%) was found not to be an effects of Climate Change on Farming Activities.
