Small- scale Farmers’ Perception of Climate Change Impact and Variability in Shaki Community of Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Climate change and variability have been a source of contention and debate in many parts of the developing world for many years. Different people have different perspectives on climate change and variability. This study examines small-scale farmers' perceptions on climate change impacts and possible adaptation strategies in the Shaki community of Oyo State. The population comprises of two hundred and forty (240) small scale holders’ farmers in the Shaki community of Oyo state, with sample population size of one hundred and fifty (150) randomly selected with non – probability (judge-mental) sampling technique. Survey research design was adopted for the study. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to analyze the data collected. The results from the analyzed data reveals among others the following, 74.7 percent of farmers were aware of climate change prior to the time this survey was conducted. Furthermore, 92 percent of farmers claimed to have noticed an increase in temperature, while 47.3 percent reported a decrease in rainfall. The farmers' perceptions of temperature and rainfall were supported by trend analysis, which revealed that total rainfall was decreasing by 2.1mm per year while temperatures were increasing by 0.029 degrees Celsius per year. They responded to the changing climate by implementing a variety of climate-adaptive strategies, including the planting of drought-resistant and pest/disease-resistant crops, government assistance, the use of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) seasonal rainfall prediction forecasts, and mulching to reduce water loss. However, the study found a positive and significant relationship between farmers' socio-demographic characteristics and their perceptions of climate change, implying that only farmers' age, education level, and annual household income had a significant impact on their climate change perceptions.