Climate Change Information Needs of Rural Farmers in Enugu State, Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
Adaptation is considered an appropriate response to climate change and variability, especially for rural farmers. However, the farmers’ ability to effectively respond to climate change challenges is determined by the quality of information available to the farmers and how easily the information is accessed.
The study sought to assess the information needs of rural farmers on climate change. A total of I52 respondents were selected using multistage sampling technique.
Percentages, mean scores, standard deviations, factor analysis and multiple linear regression model were used in data analysis and presentation. The findings show that all the respondents indicated awareness of climate change.
However, the knowledge score used indicated that none of the respondents had high knowledge on climate change. The respondents’ major and perceived reliable sources of knowledge were personal observations and friends. These information sources according to the findings were useful especially on adaptation.
The major areas of information needs of the farmers on adaptation were use of improved varieties, occupational diversification, use of weed tolerant varieties, change in timing of farm operations, use of herbicides and pesticides and incorporating residue into the soil.
However the findings indicate that the following were the perceived major constraints to effective communication of climate change: poor communication linkage between scientists, extension agents and farmers, lack of proper enlightenment, lack of participatory approach to communication, poor use of local dialect in translation and communication of climate change information jargon to rural farmers, lack of communication facilities etc.
The respondents’ perceived strategies that can be used for effective communication of climate change information were: use of vernacular through mass media to disseminate climate change information, use of participatory approach in communicating climate change information.
Incorporating the needs, perception and concern of the target audience and ensuring relevance of information to the target audience, ensuring reliability of information, use of credible experts who have knowledge of vernacular, and bridging the communication gap between scientists, extension agents and farmers.
Other strategies include: use of local and religious leaders to disseminate climate change information, use of local languages (dialect) and folks, use of audio visual aids and provision of timely information, training of communicators of climate change information.
Strengthening agricultural extension delivery system, provision of communication facilities by government to climate change communicators, and use of service providers to disseminate climate change information through short message service.
The findings reveal that the following had significant influence on knowledge level (p≤0.05): years spent in formal education, membership of social/religious organization, number of climate change training, farm size, marital status, access to credit, and climate change training.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page … … … … … … … … … … i
Certification … … … … … … … … … … ii
Dedication … …. … … … … … … … … iii
Acknowledgement … … … … … … … … … iv
Table of content … … … … … … … … … v
List of figure … … … … … … … … … … vi
List of figures … … … … … … … … … … vii
Abstract … … … … … … … … … … viii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background information … … … … … … … … 1
1.2 Problem statement … … … … … … … … 6
1.3 Purpose of the study … … … … … … … … 8
1.4 Hypothesis … … … … … … … … … 8
1.5 Significance of study … … … … … … … … 9
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.1 Concept of climate change … … … … … … … 10
2.2.1 Causes and effects of climate change … … … … … 16
2.2.2 Effects of climate change … … … … … … 21
2.3 Climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies … … … … 30
2.4 Sources of information climate change … …. …. … … … 37
2.5 Concept of information need and information seeking behaviour … … 40
2.6 Barriers to effective communication of climate change information … … 42
2.7 Strategies for improving information dissemination on climate change … … 50
2.8 Conceptual framework … … … … … … … … 55
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Study area … … … … … … … … … … 59
3.2 Population and sampling procedure … … … … …. … 60
3.3 Data collection … … … … … … … … … 61
3.4 Measurement of variables … … … … … … … … 61
3.5 Data analysis … … … … … … … … … 64
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Socio-economic characteristics of the respondents … … … … 67
4.2 Knowledge level of rural farmers on agriculture related climate change issues … 75
4.3 Sources of information on climate change … … … … … 76
4.4 Reliability of information sources … … … … … … 76
4.5 Perceived usefulness of information received … … … … … 79
4.6 Climate change information needs of rural farmers … … … … 80
4.7 Areas of information needs on climate change … … … … … 81
4.8 Perceived factors militating against effective communication of climate change Information 83
4.9 Perceived possible strategies for improving information dissemination on climate change among rural farmers 88
4.10 Testing of hypothesis … … 90
CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary of findings … … … … … … … … 95
5.2 Conclusion … … … … … … … … … 99
5.3 Recommendation … … … … … … … … … 100
REFERENCES … … … … … … … … … 101
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007 considered data from climate observations across the world and concluded that the evidence for warming of the global climate is ‘unequivocal’.
Climate change refers to any change in climate overtime, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity (IPCC, 2001).
Globally, climate change is considered as one of the serious threats to sustainable development, with adverse impacts expected on the environment, human health, food security and physical infrastructure (Africa- Wide Civil Society Climate Change Initiative for Policy Dialogues (ACCID), 2010).
Climate change affects all aspects of the climate, making rainfall less predictable, changing the character of the seasons, and increasing the likelihood or severity of extreme events such as floods.
Scientists agree that rising concentrations of human-produced greenhouse gases (GHG) in the earth’s atmosphere are the causes of climate change.
For example, the increased industrialization in the developed nations introduces large quantities of greenhouse gases (GHGs), including carbon (IV) oxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) into the atmosphere. These GHGs are the primary causes of global warming (IPCC, 2007a).
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