Shift in Crop Production as an Adaptation Strategy to Climate Change by Grain Farmers in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined shifts in crop production as an adaptation strategy to climate change among grain farmers in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State. Rainfall and temperature data for 30 years were sourced from the Nigerian Metrological Services (NIMET) Oshodi, Lagos and used for this study. Farmers’ perception and adaptation strategies to climate change were obtained by means of structured questionnaire administered to 385 sampled grain farmers. Purposeful sampling technique was used in the selection of the respondents. The results were summarized by means of frequencies and percentages and presented in tabular forms and pie charts. The study revealed that millet is the most cultivated crop in the study area. The farmers shifted from sorghum to millet production basically because of the late onset of the rains and frequent agricultural drought in the study area which millet can cope with. Millet yields very well compared to sorghum and maize. It requires little effort to cultivate; better adapted than sorghum and maize to dry, infertile soils, with poor water-holding capacity, high temperature, low and erratic precipitation. Farmers’ perceptions of climate change issues are in line with the analysed weather records for the area. The study recommends that since the annual rainfall totals favour the cultivation of millet, the research institutes should produce better adapted varieties of millet and government should subsidize the seeds to the farmers.