THE PERCEPTION OF FARMERS ON THE EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON FARM PRODUCE
ABSTRACT
The research was carried out based on the perception of farmers of the effect of climate change on farm produce.
The aim of the study was to identify various climatic factors that can affect farming system which include sunrise (hot temperature), winter, equinox, rainfall, summer, coldness, wind etc and also places where lakes, rivers ocean / sea, stream, rocks/ hills forest etc are available .
Critically, the study revealed that rainfall and dry season are the common features in Nigerian climate which are the natural determinant for farm produce.
The study assessed the problems associated with climate change and how farmers can cope with such effects.
It was deduced from the study that high temperature can be harmful to crop produce and excessive rainfall can result to flooding and washing off nutrients in soil and making it unfit for planting.
The study revealed facts that farmers are aware of numerous factors that can be responsible for climate change such as changes in rainfall, excessive wind, high temperature and shortage of rainfall.
The research was carried out in Lagos State Agricultural Supply Input Authority, Ojo Lagos State.
Sixty (60) respondents were selected as the sample size for the study. The three (3) null (Ho) hypothesis formulated for the study were all rejected and the alternate forms were accepted.
The instrument for the study was the questionnaires and it contained (30) thirty research questions.
Discussions and findings were based on the outcome of the responses.
The researcher holds confidence that if the finding and discussions made in this study are given due consideration and implemented, it will go a long way to enable our farmers to cope with climate change to enhance farm produce.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The theme of this research is based on the perception of farmers of the effect of climate change on farm produce. It has been logically argued that climate change may positively and negatively affect the growth of crop in agricultural system.
In some broken down analysis, climate is a sole determinant for the success of farm produce and its harvest as well. Emphasis are hereby made below under some given headings.
1.1BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
According to Kolbert., (2006) climate encompasses the temperatures, humidity, atmospheric pressure, winds, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorological elements in a given region over long periods of time, as opposed to the term weather, which refers to current activity of these same elements.
The climate of a location is affected by its latitude, terrain, altitude, persistent ice or snow cover, as well as nearby oceans and their currents.
Climates can be classified using parameters such temperature and rainfall to define specific climate types. (Seiz, 2007)
According to Haeberli, (2008) from Montana State University, climate change is any long term significant change in the expected patterns of average weather of a specific region (or, more relevantly to contemporary socio-political concerns, of the earth as a whole) over an appropriately significant period of time.