Climate Variability and Food Crop Production in Rural Cameroon: The Case of Ejagham Community - Manyu Division

Abstract

This study set to establish the relationship between rainfall and temperature variabilities and food crop production in the Ejagham community, Cameroon. Data were collected for crop production in the area from 2006-2015, and for rainfall and temperature from 1975 – 2015. Variance means was used to analyse the trend in climatic conditions of rainfall and temperature while correlation coefficient was used to establish the relationship between climatic conditions and food crop production. Findings revealed that the trend in rainfall has been fluctuating. Clearly, rainfall dropped in the years 1986, 2001, 2003 and 2015. Overall, there has been a decrease in annual rainfall from about 3,000 mm in 1975 to almost 2,000 mm in 2015. The highest temperature was recorded in the 2010 with 29.0°C, followed by the year 2013 with 28.2°C. 2015 recorded the least temperature which had an average of 26.0°C. Furthermore, there exist a relationship between rainfall and temperature variabilities and food crop production in Ejagham area. This is indicated in the almost negative coefficients both for rainfall and temperature. It can therefore be concluded that there is a statistically significant relationship between rainfall and temperature variabilities and food crop production in Ejagham area.