Subsistence Farmers' Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change in Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

Climate change and variability have far reaching implications on agricultural production, particularly on the livelihood of subsistence farmers in developing countries whose vulnerability is aggravated by multiple stresses. Adaptation has been identified as the key to sustaining agriculture, reducing the vulnerability of subsistence farmers and ensuring the survival of their livelihoods in a changing climate. This study examines the adaptation strategies by subsistence farmers in Niger State to climate change. Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted in 18 selected farming communities, across the three agricultural zones in the state. This is to ascertain the adaptation strategies employed by the communities, the effectiveness of the strategies and the limitations in adapting. The result shows that adaptation measures common to all communities are increased domestication of cattle, early planting, planting early maturing crop varieties, swapping to the cultivation of crops with higher profit turn over, cultivating crops tolerant to low soil nutrient, cultivating crops tolerant to drought, and digging of wells and bore holes to cope with the depleting water resources. Measures such as irrigation, involvement in off-farm jobs, introduction of new crops, bush fallowing, migration and establishment of new farmsteads do not have widespread application. Increased food crop yield, increased income from farming activities and sustenance of cattle during the dry season are identified as accruable benefits of adaptation strategies. Identified constraints are ownership of land in small holdings, rural poverty, non-availability, inaccessibility, scarcity and expensive costs of tractors and inorganic fertilizer, and high cost of agro-chemicals. The study recommends the strengthening of capacities of farming communities to adapt by way of greater logistic support and technical aids.