Abstract
Crop yield data were obtained from Kwara State Agricultural Development Project (KWADP), Ilorin and National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Lagos on the crops considered in this study, while climate data were sourced from the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Oshodi, Lagos and National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Lagos for a decade (2002 - 2011). These data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 and Microsft Excel in order to evaluate the impact of climate on the yield on reference crops in Kwara State, Nigeria. Multiple regression, trend analysis, correlation analytical and ANOVA techniques were used to analyze the data. This study was necessitated by the decline observed in the production of cash crops in the state. The result obtained from the analysis carried out on the output per hectare showed that the impact of climate on crop yield was significant for maize and rice yield at 95% probability level while the impact of climate on the yield of millet, sorghum and cowpea was insignificant. As a result, it is recommended that investment should be made to intensify the cultivation of crops on which climate had no significant impact on their yield. Key words: Agriculture, climate, grain-crops, yield, decade.
Highlights
Agriculture is the practice of crop cultivation and livestock keeping within boundaries
Pattern of Agro-climatic Variables in Ilorin City (20022011) is as shown in Table 1 while Table 2 shows the descriptive analysis of the agricultural products yield data in Kwara State between 2002 - 2011
The result shows that 97.9, 96, 95.2, and 80% of total variability in yield of maize, sorghum, rice and millet respectively can be explained to be as a result of the effect of the climatic parameters
Summary
Agriculture is the practice of crop cultivation and livestock keeping within boundaries. The choice of what to produce, where to produce and how to produce it is determined by the culture, traditions, market, water supply, climate, soil condition, plot size and distance from home (Abdul-Aziz, 2002; Wiebe, 2003). Climate is a long-term average weather conditions that directly or indirectly affects agricultural production. Climate determines the choice of what plant to cultivate, how to cultivate it, the yields of crops and nature of livestock to keep. Ajadi (2011) reported that solar radiation, temperature, moisture and other climatic parameters determine the global distribution of crops and livestock as well as crop yield and livestock productivity. Reuben and Barau (2012) observed that rainfall distribution and the occurrence of moisture stress condition during the vegetative period are critical for the yield formation of the cassava crop. In view of the foregoing, Odjugo (2010) opined that climate change is unequivocal and its impacts are here with us
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