Effects of Climate Variation on Food Crop Production in Forestland of South West, Nigeria

Abstract

Rising temperature and erratic rainfall pattern which are attributed to the varying climate has been the bane of the food crop farmers. Nigeria is experiencing adverse climatic conditions with negative effects on food crop production, persistent droughts and flooding, off season rains and dry spells have sent growing season of track. It is in view of this that the study examined the effects of climate variation on farmers’ food crop production in Ogun and Ondo state Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used in the selection of respondents (food crop farmers). One hundred and twenty (120) food crop farmers from each state were selected for interview. Findings from the study revealed that majority (65 percent) of the farmers were males, the mean age of the farmers in the study area was 44 years and predominant household size was that of 1-5 persons. Large percentage (83.3 percent) were married,47.9 percent of the respondents identified radio as their major source of information on climate variatioan. The result from the study revealed that there was a significant association between membership of social organisation (χ² = 19.36, p ≤ 0.05), marital status (χ² = 38.48, p ≤ 0.05) of the respondents and the perceived effects of climate variability. Similarly, findings revealed that there was a significant association between farm size (r = 0.27, p ≤ 0.05), farming experience (r = 0.20, p ≤ 0.05) of the respondents and perceived effects of climate variability. There was no significant relationship between farmers’ sources of information (r = 0.090, p < 0.172) and perceived effects of climate variation. There was a positive and significant relationship between farmers awareness about climate variability (r = 0.142, p ≤ 0.05) and perceived effects of climate variation.