ABSTRACT

This work evaluates the effects of climate change on cowpea production among small-scale farmers in this regard Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi state, Nigeria. The study had (4) research objectives and (4) research questions raised from the objectives. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select respondents from the study area using five (5) districts as sample size; Madara, Buskuri, Madangala, Azare, Bulkachuwa. The method used in the collection of the data was questionnaire and a random sampling technique was used in the collection of target sample size from the population of the study, Simple descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data. Results from the findings indicate that perceived causes of climate change include high rate of bush burning, urbanization and industrialization as well as deforestation. Furthermore, the effects of climate change in the study area include unusual high rate of rainfall, shortage of rainfall and severe drought. Climate change mitigating measures used by the farmers include avoidance of indiscriminate bush burning, use of improved varieties adaptable to extreme conditions and use of high yielding and disease-tolerant crop breed. The study concluded that climate change has significant effects on cowpea production. Finally, the researchers recommends that; farmers should be encourage by extension workers to adopt diverse mitigating strategies to curb the effect of climate change, there is also need for the development of a comprehensive agricultural and climate change policy that takes into account the risks associated with cowpea yield among farmers and effort should be made by government at all levels towards capacity building of the farmers through improved education, extension visits, increased farm size, increased in income, improved access to credit and land ownership.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title Page i

Declaration ii

Certification iii

Dedication iv

Acknowledgement v

Table of Content vi

Abstract x

List of Tables

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem 5

1.3 Research Questions 6

1.4 Objectives of the Study 6

1.5 Significance of the Study 7

1.6 Scope and Limitation of the Study 7

1.7 Definition of Terms 8

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Concept of climate change 10

2.1 Socio-economic Characteristics of Cowpea Farmers 13

2.2 Causes of Climate Change 15

2.3 Effects of Climate Change on Cowpea Production 18

2.4 Strategies for Mitigating the Effects of Climate Change on Cowpea production 21

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

3.0 Research methodology 24

3.1 Description of the Study Area 24

3.1.1 Agriculture 25

3.1.2 Cowpea Cultivation in Katagum 25

3.2 Population of the Study 26

3.3 Sampling Procedure and Sample Size 26

3.4 Instrument for Data Collection 28

3.4.1 Data Collection 28

3.4.2 Validation of the instrument 28

3.5 Data Collection Procedures 29

3.6 Data Analysis 29

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

4.0 Introduction 30

4.1 Socio-economic characteristics of cowpea farmers 30

4.1.1 Sex of respondents 30

4.1.2 Age of respondents 31

4.1.3 Marital status of respondents 32

4.1.4 Educational qualification of respondents 32

4.1.5 Years of farming experience of respondents 33

4.1.6 Household size of respondents 34

4.1.7 Farm size of respondents 35

4.1.8 Income of respondents 36

4.2 Causes of climate change 37

4.3 Effects of climate change 40

4.4 Mitigating measures used by the farmers 42

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary 44

5.2 Conclusion 45

5.3 Recommendations 45

5.4 Suggestions for further Research Studies 46

REFERENCES

APPENDIX: Interview schedule for cowpea farmers

List of Tables

Table Title Page

Table 1: Sample Distribution of Respondents 27

Table 2: Distribution of respondents by sex 30

Table 3: Distribution of respondents by age 31

Table 4: Distribution of respondents by marital status 32

Table 5: Distribution of respondents by educational qualification 33

Table 6: Distribution of respondents by years of faming experience 34

Table 7: Distribution of respondents by household size 35

Table 8: Distribution of respondents by farm size 36

Table 9: Distribution of respondents by level of income 37

Table 10: Perceived causes of climate change 39

Table 11: Effect of climate change on cowpea 41

Table 12: Mitigating measures used by the farmers 43