Effect of Climate Change on Farmers Income Generating Activities in Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the effect of climate change on income generating activities of farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 240 crop and livestock farmers for the study. The majority (52.4%) of the respondents were literate and had multiple income generating activities (83.7%). Crop farming, collection of forest products, poultry production and goat rearing were the most negatively affected income generating activities. Sex, educational level and household size had significantly positive relationship with farmer’s involvement in income generating activities. A positive significant differences existed in farmers’ income generating activities before and after climate change. Indigenous practices adopted in controlling the effect of climate change do not have significant relationship with farmers’ involvement in income generating activities. Government, research institutes, extension officers, nongovernmental organizations and community leaders should intensify efforts at educating farmers on the need for use of environmentally friendly farming systems in order to reduce the effect of climate change.
 Keywords: Climate change; farmers’ income generating activities,

Can Climate Change Affect Income-Generating Activities?: Evidence From Farmers in Enugu State Nigeria

“…Consequently, respondents are likely to engage in additional off-farm income-generating endeavors to support their livelihoods. The findings align with that of Alalade et al (2021), who argue that climate change adversely affects agricultural activities. Thus, it is crucial to investigate the repercussions of climate change and devise strategies to mitigate its adverse effects for sustainable agribusiness within urban and rural areas in Nigeria.…”

“…The study area is currently facing drought, fluctuation in rain and drying up of numerous rivers because of climate change. These challenges are expected to contribute negatively on income-generating activities of farm household as well as impacting negatively on human living standards, particularly in sub-Sahara Africa like Nigeria (Akinbile, 2010;Adefalu, et al, 2013;Alalade et al, 2021). Unlike other existing literature, this study explores the intricate relationship between climate change and the income-generating activities of farmers, examining both challenges and potential adaptations.…”

“…This could be that Enugu state is an arid area and also being closer to the Northern parts of Nigeria where there is insufficient rain for optimal crop production (Nzeh & Eboh, 2011). Hence, some research in developing countries like Nigeria have opined that farmers rely on both farm and non-farm activities for income generation for their livelihood (Oladeji, 2007;Alalade et al, 2021;Kebede et al, 2024). In Sub-Sahara Africa for example, farmers depend on livestock rearing for their livelihoods because they generate most of their incomes from livestock farming (Twumasi et al, 2021;Jamro et al, 2021;Jabessa et al, 2023).…”

“…In Sub-Sahara Africa for example, farmers depend on livestock rearing for their livelihoods because they generate most of their incomes from livestock farming (Twumasi et al, 2021;Jamro et al, 2021;Jabessa et al, 2023). Climate change has profound implications for the income-generating activities of farmers, disrupting traditional agricultural practices and challenging livelihoods in Nigeria (Alalade et al, 2021). This multifaceted issue encompasses a spectrum of impacts on farming, from altered precipitation patterns and temperature fluctuations to extreme weather events, leading to environmental degradation and economic instability.…”

“…These changes threaten the stability of farm income, particularly farmers who rely only on agriculture for their livelihood. In regions where agriculture is rain-fed, irregular rainfall patterns can result in prolonged droughts or sudden floods, which have detrimental effects on crop production (Alalade et al, 2021). Farmers may face increased financial strain as they grapple with the uncertainties associated with these climatic variations.…”