PERCEPTION OF CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS AMONG WOMEN FARMERS IN ILORIN SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KWARA STATE, NIGERIA.

Raheem, U.A and Olanrewaju, R.M

The study analyzed the perception of women farmers on the impact of climate change in a rural part of Kwara state, Nigeria. The main objective is to identify from the farmers’ perspectives the causes of climate change and its effects on their agriculture and the coping strategies adopted. A sample of 120 farmers comprising of 20 women per settlement spread over 6 villages was purposively selected. Mean and percentages were employed to provide a quantitative summary of the responses. Occupational distribution showed that most of the respondents (about 53%) are part time farmers. The perception of the causes, consequences and control of climate change vary according to the agricultural practices adopted by farmers. Out of all the farmers practising mono cropping, 52%, 20% perceived natural phenomenon (too much rainfall and drought) and god’s indignation to be the main causes of climate change while 13.2% associated it with various anthropogenic activities. Similarly 48.4%, 23.1% and 28.4% of farmers involved in mixed cropping attributed climate change to natural phenomenon, god’s anger and activities of man respectively. Different coping strategies were adopted by women farmers to mitigate the adverse effect of climate change on crops include prayer/Alms and replanting(51% and 45%) for surplus rainfall, mulching / shading, replanting and irrigation(46% , 25% and19.1% ) for drought . A wide gap exists between the indigenous knowledge on climate and the scientific position about climate change. The need to at least narrow the gap if not bridged was emphasized

Key words: Climate Change, Perception, Women Farmers, Mitigation, Rural areas.