Assessment of Vulnerability of Farming Households to Climate Change in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

Production systems and livelihoods in South Western Nigeria are at risk of climate variability and change. The study examined the vulnerability of farming households in Ekiti State of Nigeria to climate change. A total of 120 respondents were randomly selected, interviewed and used for data analysis. Results of the study indicated that the farming households in Ekiti State witnessed change in weather conditions as reflected in unusual downpour of rain thus affecting their productivity. Most of these household heads were young, males, literate, and experienced but relied mainly on personal savings and money borrowed from friends and relatives for farming. The results also indicated that climate change resulted in low productivity, low income, as well as poor standard of living of the respondents. The most widely adopted coping strategy by the respondents was to switch to other sources of income whenever there was unpredictable variation in climate condition. This study therefore calls for the need for government policy to encourage farming households in Ekiti State to obtain loan from banks and micro-credit institutions by reducing interest rate on loans for crop production as well as removing the stringent conditions attached to loans. Keywords: Climate change, vulnerability, farming households