Analysis of Factors Influencing Rice Farmers’ Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change in Bauchi and Jigawa States, Nigeria

Abstract

The study analyzed rice farmers’ perception and adaptation strategies to climate change in Bauchi and Jigawa States, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 400 rice farmers comprising 200 respondents from each State. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of tobit regression revealed that, age, marital status, educational level and farming experience were positive and significant (P˂0.01), while access to credit was positive and significant (P˂0.05) in influencing the adaptation strategies to climate change. The results of multiple regression further revealed that, climate index, age, farming experience, farm size and household size were positive and significant (P˂0.01), while land tenure was also positive and significant (P˂0.05) and membership of cooperative was negative and significant (P˂0.05). The result also revealed that, high cost of improved varieties ( =2.9) and ( =2.7), poor extension service delivery ( =2.5) and ( =2.3) and lack of credit facilities and incentive ( =2.1) and ( =2.3) were the major constraints faced in the adoption of climate change adaptation strategies. It was concluded that socio-economic and institutional factors influenced climate change adaptation strategies in the study area were age, marital status, educational level, farming experience and access to credit. The study can also be concluded that climate change adaptation strategies practiced by rice farmers in the study area had a significant effect on the yield. The study therefore recommends that, farmers should be sensitized to pool their resources together so as to enjoy the economics of scale in purchasing farm inputs, most of these agro-allied companies sell in large quantities to agro-dealers as a result of purchase the companies reduce the price.