Field Actions Science Reports (Dec 2010)
Challenges of Agricultural Adaptation to Climate Change in Nigeria: a Synthesis from the Literature
Abstract
Climate change is perhaps the most serious environmental threat to the fight against hunger, malnutrition, disease and poverty in Africa, mainly through its impact on agricultural productivity. This paper discusses the challenges of agricultural adaptation to climate change in Nigeria under the categories (adapted from FAO, 2001) - Hunger and Poverty; Agricultural funding for research and technology development; Traditional agricultural practices; Trade Liberalization and Market Development; Policies, Institutions and Public Goods; and Information and Human Capital. The rural population, who produce more than 70% of the food eaten in Nigeria, are disproportionately poor and face malnutrition and disease. Both government and the private sector, which should drive the sector through consistent policies, robust funding and infrastructure development, have failed to accord this problem the priority it deserves. Moreover, the anticipated benefit from trade liberalization has failed to trickle down to the African farmer, coupled with the inefficient local marketing systems. In addition, the farmers are slow in changing their farming practices such as bush burning, deforestation and rain-fed agriculture and they lack the requisite education, information and training necessary to adapt to climate change. It is recommended that the government should not only decentralize its programs on poverty/HIV-AIDS and agricultural research (funding and activities), but should make them participatory. In addition, there should be an explicit national agricultural policy framework, adequate provision for irrigation, drainage, weather forecasting and other agricultural technology infrastructure, an incentive for training in agriculture, participatory and on-going capacity building for farmers, drought resistant and short duration high yielding crops development, integration of indigenous and modern knowledge on climate change adaptation, strengthening of the extension services, and encouragement for the formation of farmer groups.
