Youth Farmers’ Coping Strategies with Climate Change in Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated youth farmers’ coping strategies with climate change in Osun State, Nigeria. Data were gathered through structured interview schedule from 150 farming youths that are ex-trainees of Leventis Foundation School of Agriculture, Ilesa Osun State. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools such as frequency counts, percentage, mean and standard deviation while correlation and chi square were used to test the hypothesis. The mean age of farming youths in the study area was 27.7 ± 9.0 years. Majority (72.0%) were male who spent an average of 13.9 ± 1.3 years in formal school. The mean of years of farming experience was 8.6 ± 3.8. The youth were fully aware of climate change which had affected their food production enterprises. There were positive and significant relationship between coping strategies of the respondents and their age (r= 0.546; ?? 0.01); years of formal education(r= 0.484; ?? 0.01); and farming experience(r= 0.503; ?? 0.01). It was concluded that climate change is inevitable, that there is need to devise strategies to cope with its devastating impact on food production especially of the farming youths. Exploration of media source of information for coping strategies was recommended.

Keywords: climate change, coping strategies, youth farmers