EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON POULTRY PRODUCTION IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

The study assessed the effects of climate change on poultry production in Ondo state, Nigeria. Eighty-three (83) poultry farmers were interviewed to elicit relevant information in line with the objectives of the study. Descriptive and inferential statistical tools were used for data analysis. Findings revealed that majority 93.3% of the respondents are aware of climate change, 78%, 98.8% and 86.7% of the respondents agreed that temperature fluctuations, increased in sunshine intensity and global warming has a negative effect on poultry production, 72.4% of the respondents agree that price of feed grain are usually high in hot and dry season which may affect cost of production and number of birds to raise for egg and meet production in the farm, 73.5% of the respondents agreed that climate change has effect on feed grain availability, this implies that high temperature and low rainfall are climatic factors that affect general grain harvest, their supply to the market and ultimately cost of poultry production. The findings further revealed that 94% of respondents agreed that climate change affects egg and meet production pattern and 95.2% of the respondents agreed that moist climatic condition encouraged the distribution and development of disease. Inferential statistics shows that there is a significant relationship between respondents’ socio-economics characteristics and perception of poultry farmers on effects of climate change on poultry production since the p<0.05 (r=0.454, p=0.001). It is recommended that extension agents and other development agencies need to educate the poultry farmers more about the effect posed by climate change on poultry production and intensify awareness campaign to poultry farmers on how to reduce the effect of climate change on poultry production