Alhassan, Y. J., Manga T. A. & Sanchi. I. D.
This study assessed the impact of climate change on agriculture in Southern Taraba, identified existing adaptation strategies among farmers, evaluated the effectiveness of climate-smart agricultural practices, and examined the role of government and non-governmental organizations in supporting climate resilience. Data were collected from 134 farmers and analyzed using multiple regression and descriptive statistics. The multiple regression analysis revealed that temperature increase, erratic rainfall, and soil degradation significantly (p < 0.05) reduced agricultural productivity, while access to irrigation, agroforestry, and improved seeds had a positive impact. The model had an R² value of 0.78, indicating a strong explanatory power. Descriptive statistics showed that 65% of farmers adopted drought-resistant crops, 50% practiced conservation agriculture, and 55% used early warning climate information. However, only 30% engaged in non-farm income diversification, highlighting a gap in alternative livelihood strategies. Evaluation of climate-smart agricultural practices indicated that irrigation techniques (mean effectiveness score = 4.3) and improved seed varieties (mean = 4.1) were the most effective strategies for enhancing food security. Government support was found to be inadequate, with only 40% of farmers receiving subsidies for climate adaptation. Non-governmental organizations played a vital role in capacity building, with 60% of farmers benefiting from climate resilience training programs. The study concludes that while some adaptation strategies have been adopted, financial and policy constraints limit their effectiveness. It recommends increased investment in climate-smart technologies, improved extension services, financial incentives for farmers, and stronger policy implementation to enhance agricultural resilience and food security in Nigeria.
Keywords: Climate Adaptation, Food Security, Agricultural Resilience, Sustainable Farming and ClimateSmart Agriculture
