Empirical analysis of adaptation strategies used in mitigating flood related losses by rice farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was designed to gain an insight into the adaptation strategies employed by smallholder rice farmers to mitigate flood losses as well as examine determinants of farmers’ choice of adaptation strategy in Kwara State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected using semi-structured questionnaire administered to 240 smallholder rice farmers who were selected in a three-stage sampling procedure. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression model. The study revealed majority (79.5%) of the rice farmers adopted the planting of early-maturing rice seedling variety so as to ensure early harvest before the peak of rainfall when floods are usually experienced. The least adopted strategy is the change of crop and upland cropping with only 2% of the rice farmers engaging in this. Educational status, past flood-related losses and savings positively influenced the adoption of early maturing rice varieties’ relative to change of crop and upland cropping whereas household size and access to climate information had a negative influence on adoption of change in planting date relative to change of crop and upland cropping (P < 0.05). The study recommends an urgent need to address rice farmers’ continuing dependence on flood plain farming in the study area through enlightening them on the locally adapted coping strategies such as upland cropping and planting of other crops.

Keywords: Climate change, Flooding, Multinomial logistic regression, Upland cropping