Farmer's Perception of Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies: a Case Study of Birnin Gwari Local Government, Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Climate change is a major environmental threat to the African continent, particularly in the drier regions. There are several studies conducted at regional and national levels, but a continuous understanding of the knowledge and impact at a local level is required for appropriate interventions. This study, therefore, seeks to examine farmers’ awareness and perception of climate change and the adaptation strategies employed to cope with the effects of climate change in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State. Samples were drawn from all 11 wards in the study area, and 110 copies of the questionnaire were administered to farmers. The result indicated that the majority (91.6%) of the respondents are aware of climate change. Respondents view climate change as a change in weather, mainly in terms of increased temperature and incessant rainfall. The results also revealed that in the advent of drought in the area, about 22% of the farmers prefer to cultivate millet because it is better adapted to dry, infertile soils, high temperatures, low precipitation and poor water holding capacity than other crops. To cope with the changing climate, about 84%of the farmers in the study area adopted the method of planting a variety of crops, 59% planted drought and flood-resistant crops, a little over 54% rear heat tolerant animals, and close to 68% mulch crops to reduce water loss. The study concluded that hindrances to coping with the adopted strategies included inadequate amounts of improved seeds, inadequate funds to acquire new techniques such as irrigation techniques and improved seed varieties, inadequate information on weather incidence, insufficient knowledge on global current adaptation methods and inadequate water for irrigation. This study recommends raising awareness and knowledge about early warning of climate change through mass media, improving extension services that would help farmers understand the major impact of climate change, and providing programmes that support female farmers. The combination of these would provide global best-practice adaptation measures to withstand the effects of climate change.