Determinants of Smallholder Farmers Adaptation Strategy to Climate Change in Nigeria

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the factors influencing decisions of smallholders on adaptation strategy to climate change in Nigeria and this is necessary as part of efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.The study used primary data with objectives that include assessment of the perception level of farmers to climate change; identify climate change adaptation strategies and to determine the factors influencing their choice of adaptation strategy using Multivariate Probit model. Results revealed that adaptation strategy options adopted by the smallholders were planting new crop variety, drought tolerant variety, participation in non-farm activities, land management practices, adoption of other coping strategies while some farmers did not use any adaptation strategy. These strategies were subsequently used as the dependent variables in the Multivariate Probit Model. The study found that household farmers adopt various adaptation strategies in order to cushion from the negative effects of climatic variability and extreme events such as drought and floods. There is therefore need to put in place policies and programs that will make the smallholder farmers to be proactive in adapting to climate change through extension information provided by the government.

Keywords: Adaptation, Strategies, Climate change, smallholders, Nigeria