Assessment of Farmers Adaptive Capacity to Climate Variability in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria
Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The study assessed the adaptive capacity of crop farmers in the six Area Councils of FCT using Geoinformatics.Socio-economic indicators were used to map the adaptive capacity of FCT farmers to climate variability from 1981-2017.The arable crops considered are: yam, beans and maize.The selected climatic variables based on their importance to crop production are: rainfall, temperature, relative humidity and potential evapotranspiration.A total of 240 questionnaires were administered to 24 farming communities (ten farming household in each community) using systematic sampling.The ability of farmers to adapt to climate variability was assessed based on five factors that have a direct influence on crop production which are: financial, human, natural, physical and social capital.The indicator scores were summarized (using Microsoft office excel), normalized and weighed.The weight was assigned through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP).This was used to determine the Adaptive Capacity Index (ACI) which was used to produce the Adaptive Capacity Map.The mean adaptive capacity of farmers in FCT shows that, croplands in Abaji registered the highest adaptive capacity (0.7494) followed by croplands in Kuje (0.6608).Moderate adaptation was recorded in Bwari (0.5507) while low adaptations were documented in AMAC (0.3873) and Kwali (0.2676).Lowest adaptation was revealed in Gwagwalada (0.0691).AMAC, Kwali, Gwagwalada and Bwari will have low yields without the required external assistance.Abaji and Kuje will use their assets to recover from climate variability and restore their crop yields.Provision of irrigation infrastructures and diversification into off-farm activities were recommended.
Authors: Dada Ibilewa, Usman O. Alalu, Samaila K. Ishaya, Mustapha Aliyu, Magaji J. I.
Language: English
Subfield: Agronomy and Crop Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4233111398