Research/academic paper

Emerging and Indigenous Technology for Climate Change Adaptation in Southwest Nigeria

“This study is premised on the high incidence of severe weather and the rate of climate change, its consequences and challenges among small-scale farmers. Primary data obtained from 362 farmers, 125 extension officers and 14 researchers from the three agro-ecological zones of
southwest Nigeria were used to examine the technological and farming systems adaptation to climate change. Most of the farmers (65.75%) opine that farming activities such as bush burning,
use of agro-chemicals and deforestation contribute to climate change, and some other farmers (96.6% in the swamp zone, 60.8% in the rainforest and 68.3% in the savanna) opine that the main climate change effect on their personal lives is reduction in personal productivity. In terms of climate change effects on farming enterprises, reduction in crop yields was reported by 60% of the farmers.The study concluded that there is a general
conviction among farmers, extension officers and researchers that crops and forests management technologies are the main tools for adapting to climate change. It is noteworthy however that adapting to climate change is as much a technology issue as an attitudinal one.”