EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES ON FOOD SECURITY AMONG RICE FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2021
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Abstract
The effect of climate change has impacted negatively on agriculture. This study focused on the
effect of climate change adaptation strategies on food security among rice farming households in
Ondo State, Nigeria. It described the socio economic characteristics of rice farming households;
determined the food security status of rice farming households; examined the main determinants
of food security status; identified rice farmers’ climate change adaptation strategies and
determined the effect of climate change adaptation strategies on food security status of rice farming
households. A total of 118 respondents were identified through a multistage sampling proceedure,
on which well-structured questionnaire was administered. Data collected were analyzed using
descriptive statistics, food security index, probit regression analysis and logistic regression model.
The results of the analysis from the study showed that majority (91%) of the respondents were
male, 89.8% were married and 93.2% were educated. The mean household size of rice farmers
was 7 persons and 33.9% of the respondents earned between ₦50,001and ₦75,000 with the
average total income per month as ₦74,872. The results of the analysis of food security status
revealed that 45.8% of the respondents were food secured while, 54.2% were food insecured. Food
secured households had a mean monthly household estimated income of ₦75,664 and mean
monthly expenditure on food of ₦29,326; while food insecured households had a mean monthly
estimated income of ₦73,935 and mean monthly expenditure on food of ₦28,494. Years of
Farming experience was positively related to food security status while age and household size
were inversely related. Some of the adaptation strategies employed to cope with climate change
were changing planting and harvesting dates, multiple cropping, conservation tillage, planting
tolerant crop varieties and engagement in other sources of income. The logistic regreression
analysis revealed that age, years of farming experience, access to extension services and
membership of agricultural association had a relationship with choice of adaptation strategies to
climate change. Probit regression analysis showed that farmers’ use of adaptation strategies results
in an increase in food security. Therefore, there is an effect of climate change adaptation strategies
on food security. Existing policies in food crop production should be reviewed, farmers’
agricultural education introduced and agricultural incentives provided to farmers to help boost
farm productivity with a resultant increase in food output and food security in the study area.