An Assessment of the Perception of Local Farmers on Climate Change in Ido Local Govt Area of Oyo State

An Assessment of the Perception of Local Farmers on Climate Change in Ido Local Govt Area of Oyo State

Chapter One

Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study is to investigate the impact of climate change on farming activities, while the specific objectives are;

To examine the rainfall and temperature change in the study
Examine the level of climate change awareness in the area
To identify change in crop production of farmers over
To determine the impact of climate change on farming

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

Climate Change

According to Thick Tri Quang (1966), man is the major cause of the current global climate change. The global phenomenon of the climate change is one of the most significant challenges facing humanity in the twenty first century at the present, the earth appears to be facing a rapid warming, which most scientist believe result mostly from human activities (Hart, 2006; Ehrenfield, 2005; Rosenbaum et al., 2004).

The burning of the fossils fuel and deforestation add carbon (iv) oxide (co2)and other greenhouses gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere, many human systems are already being affected, particularly, agriculture, water resources, industries and human health (Mc Carthy et al., 2001).

Essentially, forest ecosystems are an important consideration in the development of climate change mitigation strategies because they can both be sources and sink of Greenhouse gases (Dinicola et al., 1997). Climate change refers to any change in climate over time, weather due to natural variability or as a result of human activity (inter-governmental panel on climate change, 2001). The definition given by the UN Framed work convention on climate change (UNFCCC), refers to it as change of climate that is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity which alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods (UNFCCC, 2006).

In fact, the planet would be colder 33⁰c as against its current average surface temperature of 15⁰c (Hart, op. cit). Thus, while the current concentration of co2 in the atmosphere, 370 parts per million (PPM), is about 35 percent higher than it was in pre-industrial time (280ppm), industries word wide now add about

6.3 gig atones of carbon as CO2 to the atmosphere each year (Rosenbaum et al., 2004). Consequently, the average global temperature has increased by 0.6⁰C and a rise in the global mean sea level of between’’ 10 to 20cm, (IPCC, 2001).

In Nigeria, small-scale farmers occupy a central position in the nation’s agricultural policy. They represent substantial proportion of the total population and produce between 90 and 95 percent of the total agricultural output in the economy (Ajibefun and Abdulkadir, 2004).

Many communities in Nigeria are living on forest resources for survival. Their daily livelihood is through tangy farming system, hunting and fishing (Adejuwon, 2006). According to Myers (1992), the tropical forest provides habit for two-thirds of all identifies terrestrial species, these plant and animal species serve as sources of food, medicine and fuel in most rural communities in developing countries.

Climate change adversely affects the population and variety of plant and animal species in the forest, resulting in the scarcity or out-rights extinction of many important plant and animal species (Sohngen et al., 2001). Some plant and animal genetic resources that could be used in producing new pharmaceutical or tradition medicine are lost as a result of the destruction of forest cover by climate change (Eastaughy, 2008).

According to Klaus et al. (2007), indigenous people are often among the world’s most marginalize and impoverished people and will bear the brunt of the catastrophe of climate change.

Adaptation measures are therefore important to help these communities to the extreme weather conditions and associated climatic variations (Adger et al. 2003). Adaptation has the potential to significantly contribute to reduction in negative impacts from change in climatic condition as well as other changing socio-economic condition, such as volatile short-term changes in local and international market, (Kandlinkar and Risbey, 2000).

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

Study Areas

The study was conducted in Ido which is a local government in Oyo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Ido in the west of the area and it covers a land area of 422km², it lies between latitude 11⁰ 27¹ 3¹¹N and longitude 7⁰ 07¹ 37¹¹E. It has a population of 145,839 (NPC, 2006).

Climate

The study area has two distinct seasons (Dry and Wet seasons). During wet season rainfall begins in late May to September, while the cold season known as Harmattan last from December to February. The temperature rising up to 38°C between March to May and reaches an average of 45°C in January. The average rainfall in the area is 600mm per annum (Rabiu, 2007).

Vegetation

The vegetation cover of the study area was characterized as Sudan savannah type. Natural grass covers is noticeable only during the rainy season, while nature of the trees covers and other crops species have been permanently altered (Dan Abu, 2006).

The common species in the study area include: Azadirachta indica, Adansonia digitata, Parkia biglobosa, Mangifera indica, Khaya senegalensis, Ziziphus spina Christi, Sidium gujaba, and other thorny species of both economics and medicinal values (Dan Abu, 2006).

CHAPTER FOUR

RESULTS

Socio-Economic Characteristic of Respondents

The result in fig 1 indicated that, the male respondents accounted for about 80% while the female respondents accounted for about 20% in the study area. The result also showed that 55.67% of the respondents in the study area fall within the middle age bracket of 21 to 40 years, while 27.34% of the respondents were within the age range of 41 to 50 years and 16% were 51 to 60 years of age.

CHAPTER FIVE

DISCUSSION

SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RESPONDENTS

Socio-Economic Characteristics combine different factors such as sex between male and female in which more males were involves in farming activities with 80% while 20% were female.

Age of the Respondents

Age is the factor that determines the year of an individual as young and old, age composition among individual especially family head has influence in decision making. Results shows that, 55.67 % of the respondents, range between (21 to 40 years) and 27.34% of respondent range between (41 to 50years) and 16% of the respondents were ranged between 51 to 60 years as the oldest among others, this is to said that age has negative effect on farming activities, because as the farmers grow older, they lack the strength and capacity to work for a long period of time. According to Okoye (1999) where he made some research on the influence of age on the adaptation of farming system.

CHAPTER SIX

SUMMARY,CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

SUMMARY

The study perception of farmers on the impact of climate change on farming activities in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State was carried out in order to examine the rainfall and temperature pattern affecting crop production 0ver time. 150 questionnaires were administered and retrieved. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistic (percentage, Bar chart e.t.c).

57.33% of the respondents show that, there was increase in rainfall while 20% believed that, there was decrease in rainfall, however, 22.67% were on the view that, the rainfall was normal.

Regarding the temperature, the study shows that, about 53% of the respondents agreed that, the temperature was too hot while 3 3.33% of the farmers believed that, the temperature was cold and other 13.34% of the respondents proved to normal temperature.

The study observed that, there was increase in crop production as a result of high increase in rainfall as well as the increase in the degree of hotness or coldness of temperature.

The impacts of climate change on farming activities in the study areas were evident with increase growing season of crops, high rainfall, high growth rates of crops and high yield from farm produce.

CONCLUSION

The study was based on perception and analysis of impacts of climate change on farming activities. Result on farmer perception indicated that, they understood change in climate as a result of change in temperature and rainfall.

The areas were getting colder and water or moisture with change timing of rains. The implication was that farmers need to adjust their management practices to ensure that; they make efficient use of the available rainfall and water resources for crop production and other needs. Impact or barriers to taking crop production options communities around the areas of study were identified as lack of credit and information concerning climate change forecasting rationing of inputs and lack of seed resources as important constraints. Addressing these issues can significantly help the farmers to tailor their management practices to colder and conditions.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the results obtained from the research the following recommendations are made:

Information about farmer’s awareness on climate change and current lateor early rainfall in hot or cold seasons would assist policy makers in the efforts to decrease or increase its vulnerability and adverse
The government should assist these farmers’ particularly those that areimpacted by climate change in meeting costs of crop production to its adverse And also should provide credit; lend input to farmers of the areas of study.
Non-governmentalorganization (NGOs); should strengthen the capacity of rural dwellers or farmers that will promote the effect of climate change on farmer and educate the farmers of the areas of
Non-governmentalorganization (NGOs); should strengthen the capacity of rural dwellers or farmers that will promote the effect of climate change on farmer and educate the farmers of the areas of
Non-governmentalorganization (NGOs); should strengthen the capacity of rural dwellers or farmers that will promote the effect of climate change on farmer and educate the farmers of the areas of
Non-governmentalorganization (NGOs); should strengthen the capacity of rural dwellers or farmers that will promote the effect of climate change on farmer and educate the farmers in the study areas on the needs to plant more
Knowledge: to help social groups and individuals farmers to gain a varietyof experience in and acquire a basic understanding of the climate change policy issues and its impacts.
Attitude: to help individuals and social groups of farmers acquire a set ofvalues and feeling of concern for the environment and the motivation of actively participating in climate change
Skill: to help social groups and individuals acquire skills for identifyingand lacking climate
Participation: to provide social groups and individuals with an opportunityto be actively at all levels in working towards climate change vulnerability reduction and mitigation.

References

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Ajibefun, I.A. and Abdul-Kadir, A.O. (2004); impact of size of farm operation on resource use efficiency in small scale farming: Evidence from south-western Nigeria. Food, agriculture and environment volume II, pages 364-369
Aluko, A.P. (2008); Implication of climate change on sustainable forest management in Nigeria. presented at the National Seminar on Sustainable Forest Management and Climate change in Nigeria at BISROD furniture company, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
Awosika, I. and Folorunsho, R. (2006); Climate change and impact on the coastalenvironment of Nigeria. In lubijaroet al (eds), sustainable environment management in Nigeria. Pp 450
Boisvenue, C. and S.W. Running (2006); Impact of climate change one natural forest productivity evidence since the middle of the 20^th century. Global change Biology, 12: 862-882.
Diniola, A.D. Jones and G. Gray (1997): opportunities for forestry investment in Asia and the pacific through carbon off set initiatives. FAO forestry 1997 working paper No: APFSOS/WP/29.
Eastaugh C. (2008); adaptations of forests to climate change; a multidisciplinary review.IUFRO Occasional paper 21, Vienna Austria 82 pp.

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