Underutilized Indigenous Vegetables’ (UIVs) Business in Southwestern Nigeria: Climate Adaptation Strategies

V A Tanimonure

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-45106-6_204

Abstract

AbstractThe impact of climate change, especially on agricultural sector, calls for a global and more localized strategies such as cultivation of underutilized indigenous vegetables (UIVs) which adapt better to local climate change. This chapter, therefore, examines the perception of UIVs farmers to climate change, their experiences of UIVs’ responses to climate change, adaptation strategies employed, and the determinants of the decision to adopt them in Southwest Nigeria. The study uses quantitative and qualitative primary household data from 191 UIVs farmers, 8 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and secondary climate data from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency. Descriptive and econometric analyses are employed in the data analyses. The results show that farmers’ perceptions of climate change are high temperature and a high variability in rainfall pattern that has affected the yield, increased insects, pests, and diseases infestations, and reduced soil fertility. The results further show that the responses of UIVs to these resultant effects differ as such, and adaptation strategies farmers adopt are UIVs-specific. The adaptation strategies mostly employed by the UIVs farmers are cultivating UIVs along the river bank and the least is agroforestry and perennial plantation. The determinants of the decision to adopt adaptation strategies include UIVs revenue, age, years of experience, access to climate information, climate change awareness, agro ecological zone, and access to credit. Thus, promotion of UIVs business is advocated and provision of information on climate change essential and will encourage farmers to adopt appropriate climate change adaptation strategies to boost UIVs business.

Highlights

The impact of climate change forecast on agriculture has posed a threat to the sustainability of global food security and nutrition
Over half a billion (525 million) people in the tropics were projected by Consortium of International Agriculture Research (CGIAR) program on Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) to possibly be at the perils of hunger by 2050 due to climate change (Actionaid International 2011)
Until adaptive or palliative measures are inaugurated to mollify the effects of climate change, food security in developing countries in the tropics, in Nigeria, will be under threat (Enete 2014), considering the high rate of population growth

Summary

Introduction

The impact of climate change forecast on agriculture has posed a threat to the sustainability of global food security and nutrition. Owing to the undesirable effects of climate change, it is suggested that a blend of global and more localized strategies, along with other adaptation strategies, can help farmers weather the effects of climate change These include conservation agriculture, organic agriculture, carbon sequestration and the capacity to withstand weather stresses, change in planting time, the breeding of a number of climate-resilient crop varieties such as underutilized indigenous vegetables (UIVs), among others (Howden et al 2007; Omatseye 2009; Sambo 2014). Underutilized indigenous vegetables are vegetables that originate from a locality; such vegetables may be localized to that particular area or found in other places They are reported to be grown more widely or intensively in the past but are falling into disuse for a number of agronomic, genetic, economic, and cultural reasons. Some studies reported that these UIVs are more adaptive, resilient, and tolerant to adverse climatic conditions than exotic species (Raghuvanshi and Singh 2001; Nnamani et al 2009; Mabhaudhi et al 2016)

Methods

Results

Conclusion