Perceived effects of climate change on food crops production in Oyo state

The study assessed the perceived effects of climate change on food crops production in Oyo State. Multi stage sampling procedure was used in selecting 120 respondents for the study. Primary data was collected through interview schedule and it was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results reveal that majority (84.2%) of the respondents were male, married (92.5%) and the crop they mainly cultivate is maize (45.8%) and cassava(37.5%).Further results reveal that majority (70.0%) have knowledge of climate change and a sizable proportion (77.5%) of the respondents had unfavourable perception about the effects of climate change on food crops production which necessitated majority (60.8%) of the food crops framers to adopt different strategies to cushion the effects of climate change. Correlation analysis revealed that there existed a relationship between years of farming experience (r= -0.245; p=0.005); age, (r= -0.172; p=0.004) and perceived effects of climate change among the food crops farmers. It was recommended that adaptation to climate change should be mainstreamed into the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) and other food security and poverty alleviation programme, efforts should be intensified at educating and sensitizing farmers to be better acquainted with coping mechanisms and adaptation strategies that are currently been proffered by research effort. It was recommended that adaptation to climate change should be mainstreamed into the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) and other food security and poverty alleviation programmes.Keywords: Perceived effects, climate change, food crop farmers

Determinants of Food Security among Rural Livestock Farmers in Southwestern Nigeria

This study examined the extent to which livestock production has contributed to food security of the rural households in Southwestern Nigeria. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select respondents for the study. Fifty percent of the states in Southwestern Nigeria and 30% of rural households in the selected local government areas were randomly selected resulting in a sample size of 306 respondents. Household food insecurity access scale (HFIAS), food insecurity scale was used to assess the food insecurity of the respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics while binomial regression was used to determine the determinants of food security at p = 0.05. Most respondents (76.1%) were males and married (83.7%), while about half (46.0%) of them completed secondary education. Mean age, household size and monthly income from livestock enterprises were 48.8 ± 12.8 years, 6.6 ± 3.2 and N45,068 ± 97,077, respectively. A large proportion (71.9%) practiced extensive system of livestock production. Sources of information (β = 5.304), income (β = 7.453) and constraints to livestock enterprises (β = 2.807) increased the odds of their food security. Policies that encouraged that promote diversification of income sources should be promoted to increase entrepreneurs’ income in order to improve food security situation of rural households.Keywords: Rural, Livestock Production, Food Security, Southwester