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An Assessment Of The Perception Of Local Farmers On Climate Change
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Fundamentally, the
location, size and characteristic relief of Nigeria give rise to a
variety of climates ranging from tropical rainforest climate along the
coast to the Sahel climate in the Northern part of the country, each
being different in its annual precipitation, sunshine and other climate
elements (Adejuwom, 2004). In spite of this Nigeria is yet to put in
place an agency that would negotiate and co-ordinate the nation’s
climate change activities (Agwu, et al., 2011). Farmers in trying to
come to terms with climate change have developed strategies for
adaptation and mitigation of its effects. Some of these measures include
cover cropping, early planting, prompt weeding, regulated use of
agro-chemicals and use of tolerant varieties (DelPHE, 2010). However,
previous adaptive measures used by farmers become rapidly obsolete and
ineffective due to the pace at which adverse climate events take place
(Eneteet al., 2011). Action Aid (2008) reports that farmers in the
Southeastern part of Nigeria have continued to complain of reduction in
farm output arising from the uncertainty of rainfall patterns, increased
erosion resulting from heavy down pour which simultaneously destroy the
fertility and at times washing away of plants and human settlements.
The unfortunate aspect of the climate change dilemma in Nigeria is that
most of the farmers do not understand or appreciate their contributions
to climate change devastations. This is more so among rural farmers who
still engage in traditional forms of slash and burn system of farming
(Agwuet al., 2011). Evidence abounds in climate change literature that
farmers are aware that the climate has changed and that this change has
affected negatively their output (Eneteet al., 2011) but what they do
not seem to appreciate is how their farming activities drive climate
change. It is, therefore, important to investigate how farmers, who are
major environmental stakeholders, perceive the issue of climate change,
what types of changes they have observed in the past and how they have
coped with them. Answers to these and other several related questions
constitute the purpose of this study.
1.3 Research Questions
1. What level of knowledge do local farmers have about climate change and what actions do they take?
2. What are their sources of information about climate change?
3. What is their perception about the effects of climate change?
4. What are the coping strategies adopted?
5. What actions can government take to alleviate the problems of climate change?
1.4 Aim and Objectives of the study
Aim of the Study
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