Fish Farmers’ Perceptions, Impacts and Adaptation on/of/to Climate Change in Africa (The Case of Egypt and Nigeria)

Abstract

Perception is the bed rock to really apprehend the assertiveness and interpretations of the farmers which are the grass root receptors or benefactors of the effects of climate change. Individual perception and knowledge on climate change varies according to geographical location, occupation, political and socio-economics, ecological, cultural background of the entity. Empirical observations and climate models both indicate that global climate and ocean conditions have been changing over the last 100 years and will likely change more rapidly in the future. Fish production and supply in Africa could not meet up with the demand of the consumers as a result of financial constraints, low capital investment, high cost of fish stocking and feeding, dry season, pollution and climate change. This research therefore, assesses the fish farmers’ perceptions, impacts and adaptation on/of/to climate change in Africa, using Egypt and Nigeria as archetypal examples. It also annotates the precautionary measures taken by the fish farmers to ameliorate the negative impacts of climate change in the continent. KoboCollect method was used to design relevant questions and analyzed the fish farmers’ responses. The results revealed that climate change has both positive and negative impacts on African aquaculture and it is believe that aquaculture is a way of adapting to the adverse effect of climate change on fisheries. 93% of the fish farmers in Africa have the ideal of climate change, 64% believe that the change will linger and persevere in the next 10–20 years. In Nigeria, 61% of the respondents relied on stream and river while in Egypt, 99% of the fish farmers cultured their fish on earthen ponds and depend on the use of agricultural drainage water. Fish production could not meet up with the demand of the consumers in Nigeria as a result of pending constraints unlike Egypt which has achieved the scale of aquaculture expansion compare to other African countries. It is therefore, expedient that efforts should be geared towards regional and continental integration in order to encourage aquaculture practices in other part of Africa and climate change investment should be encouraged.