Adaptive Response Strategy of Farmers to Changing Rainfall Averages in Parts of South-Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

The variable and changing nature of the annual rainfall regime in the study area poses the main problem for which planet responses are needed. The study is conducted with an estimated population of six thousand (6000) food croppers from Abia, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States. Three thousand (3000) respondent farmers are then drawn from six (6) agro-ecological zones, two from each of the sample states at five hundred (500) respondents per zone. Two hundred and fifty (250) farming households and finally sampled from the zones resulting in the one thousand five hundred (1500) sample that the study is based. Statistical evidence indicates that the awareness level of the peasants to the issue is significant at the 95% level of confidence. The main response strategies from analysis include the application of chemical fertilizers, the use of crop verities and changing the time of farming. The main change stimuli, however are higher annual intensities and declines in the duration. Response strategies however vary significantly across the study space at 95% probability. Cross River State, the more vulnerable to the threat is suggested to be the source of the significant variation following the Scheffe Post HOC analysis.

Keywords: climate change response stimuli, response strategy, reactive response.