Farmers’ Adaptation to Climate Change Using Agroforestry Practices: Case Study of Kaduna Metropolis
Abstract
The study was carried out in Kaduna Metropolis, with primary and secondary data used for this study. The primary data were generated through the use of structured questionnaires which were distributed among farming communities in the study area. Secondary data was gotten from (rainfall distribution data) Nigeria Metrological Agency, to justify the evidence of climate change and its effects on crop yields in the study area. A total of one-hundred questionnaires (100) were administered, out of which eighty-six (86) was retrieved for analysis. Results revealed that majority of the respondents (80%) were between the ages of 45-50, 77.90% were married, and male (69.8%). Results revealed that many of the farmers (45.30%) had primary education and they preferred information from Radio and Television (26.7%), and 25.7% from friends and family. Majority of the farmers (55.8%) strongly agree that the effect of climate change is highly deleterious in livestock production, 33.7% strongly agree that the climate change effects can easily be handled in livestock farming, while, 27.9% agree that climate only affect crop production. The agro-forestry adaptation strategies usually practiced include; alley farming (47.7%) and taugya system (46.5%), while 46.5% and 44.2% strongly agree with the adoption of improved fallow and shifting cultivation respectively, and 27.9% agreed that the use of Tropical Shelter Wood System (TSS) and crop production as a viable means for coping with the effects of climate change. About 23.9% of the farmers were constrained with inadequate knowledge of predicting possibility of climate change, 22.3% indicated inadequate knowledge of the choice of tree species that can be used in mitigating the problems of climate change in agricultural environment. Results therefore concludes that farmers’ are faced with menace of climate change induced hazards on activities which in reality affect their productivity, and they do not have adequate knowledge and fund towards coping or mitigating the effects of climate change. Hence, it is recommended that farmers should equipped with knowledge of the principle that guide the use of agroforestry practice because it is considered as the best way to sustainable, cost-effective and eco-friendly approach to enhancing food security.
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