Abstract: This study was carried out to assess the smallholder farmers’ climate change adaptation strategies in Egbeda local government area, southwest Nigeria. The study sourced primary data from a total of 411 households who are mainly smallholder farmers and it also used different methods and approaches including Social Analysis System (SAS2), multi-stage sampling techniques, structured questionnaires, focused group discussion and key informant/in-depth interview. The secondary data was obtained from credible publications and institutions. The primary data obtained was triangulated with the secondary data to arrive at the findings of this study which covered a period of 30 years from 1985 to 2015. This study found that while smallholder farmers practice various adaptation strategies such as planting of different crop varieties, land fragmentation, tillage practice, multiple planting dates, irrigation practice, crop diversification, off-farm activities, mulching, cover cropping, use of inorganic fertilizer, and change in farmland, the intensity of the practices of these adaptation strategies also vary greatly among the farmers as high, medium or low. The effectiveness of these practices from the study showed that use of agricultural inputs such as inorganic fertilizer, improved crop varieties, irrigation facilities, and use of flood and pest resistance crops among others was very effective compared to other strategies such as off-farm activities, changing from crop to livestock and changing of planting dates practiced by the farmers. In designing effective adaptation strategy, it is crucial therefore that a combination of approaches be adopted. These approaches could include but not limited to appropriate policy frameworks informed by transdisciplinary research output, involvement of the private sectors, Non-Governmental organizations, the smallholder farmers themselves and other relevant stakeholders in order to achieve the desired long term goal of sustainable adaptation strategies.
Keywords: Climate variability, climate change, adaptation, adaptive capacity, resilience, adaptation strategies.
Title: Smallholder Farmers’ Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change in Southwest Nigeria, Egbeda Local Government Area, Oyo State
Author: Ogallah Samson Samuel, Wandiga Shem, Olago Daniel, Oriaso Silas
International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Innovations
ISSN 2348-1218 (print), ISSN 2348-1226 (online)
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