ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to assess the adaptation strategies of maize farmers to climate change in Ovia South West Local Government Area, Edo State. A two-stage sampling procedure was used to select 105 respondents. Primary data were collected through the use of questionnaire and interview schedule in the study area. Data were analyzed using means, frequencies, percentages, standard deviation and regression analysis.
The result reveals that the mean age of the cassava farmers was found to be 53 years more than half (57.14%) were female and were married (48.47) with a mean household size of 9 persons. The study showed that almost all (99.05%) of the respondents spent between 1 to 6 years of formal education, most (92.38%) of the respondents had a mean farm size of 8 hectares, with a mean farming experience of 27.79 years. The results revealed that the mean average income was found to be approximately N213923.81 per month. Result on respondents’ information sources showed that family and friends (𝑥̅=2.93) was the most preferred means of obtaining information on climate change by the farmers. The result shows that majority (97.14%) perceived the effects of climate change to be favourable to maize production. Multiple cropping (𝑥̅= 2.56), planting of trees (𝑥̅= = 2.45), and, early planting (𝑥̅= 2.24) ranked first, second and third, respectively as the respondents’ most preferred adaptation strategies to climate change. It was also observed that the respondents’ adoption level of climate change adaptation strategies was high (96.19%).
The result showed that land tenure issues (Rent, lease) ranked 1st(𝑥̅=1.50), volatile price of inputs ranked 2nd (𝑥̅=1.39), and lack of market access ranked 3rd (𝑥̅=1.36) as constraints in adopting climate change adaptation strategies in the study area. The result showed that there is a negative and significant relationship between age (ß = 0.6474, p= 0.0027), and climate change adaptation strategies. The result indicated that there was a positive and significant relationship between educational qualification (ß =0.3672 , p=0.0030), average monthly income (ß =0.1262 , p= 0.00) of the farmers and their climate change adaptation strategies. The result showed that sources of information have a significant relationship with climate change adaptation strategies at 1% level of significance.
The study concluded that the respondents had a high level of adoption of climate change adaptation strategies with multiple cropping, planting of trees and early planting being more popular among the respondents. It is recommended that the necessary government agencies provide farmers with more access to knowledge and resources to adopt more effective and modern climate change adaptation strategies alongside the already practiced strategies adopted.
