Systematic review of climate change impact research in Nigeria: implication for sustainable development

There is evidence that Nigeria is already experiencing environmental challenges attributed to climate change (CC) and its impacts. This has clearly highlighted the need for knowledge-based strategies to help plan adequate mitigation and adaptation measures for the country. One of the basic requirements to ensure such strategies is the development of a database of national CC research. This will aid in the assessment of past and present scientific publications from which directions for future study can be mapped. The present study used standard, systematic, and bibliographic literature reviews to analyse the trend, focus, spatial variability, and effectiveness of published research on CC impacts in Nigeria. Four thematic areas of CC impact research were defined: Agriculture, Environment, Human and Multi-disciplinary study. A total of 701 articles were found to be relevant and the review shows that CC impacts and adaptations in the literature vary across research categories and locations. The period between 2011 (68 studies) and 2015 (80 studies) showed a tremendous rise in CC impact research with a peak in 2014 (84 studies). Studies in the agriculture category had the highest publications in 23 States of Nigeria. The review revealed three research gaps: (1) lack of research that investigated the magnitude of present and potential future impacts in the aquatic environment (2) little attention on CC impacts and adaptation in the Northern regions of Nigeria (3) absence of study investigating the effects of multiple variables of CC at the same time. The findings suggest that it would be useful to advance CC research in Nigeria beyond perceptive approaches to more quantitative ones. This is particularly important for highly vulnerable animals, crops, locations, and for better planning of adaptation strategies

Knowledge and practice of recycled plastic bottles (RPB) built homes for sustainable community-based housing projects in Nigeria

This study examined the knowledge and practice of the use of Recycled Plastic Bottles (RPB) for a sustainable community-based housing project in Ogun State, Nigeria. The study adopts the Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DOI), and Behaviour Change Theory (BCT) as the theoretical guide. Fieldwork was conducted in semi-urban and urban communities of Ogun State, Nigeria where a majority of individuals experience the challenge of affordable housing and environmental pollution concurrently. A total of 385 respondents were used as a sample for the study. This was determined through a sample size calculator developed by Raosoft Incorporation. Both qualitative (in-depth interviews) and quantitative (questionnaire) data were used to ascertain the level of knowledge and practice of RPB built homes, its challenges, prospects and the way forward in building sustainable homes and the environment in Nigeria and beyond. The findings of the study were discussed within the existing literature and recommendations were provided for policy action

Socio-ecologies of solid waste in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria

The main purpose of this paper is to examine the socio-ecologies of solid waste in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was adopted in which questionnaire and personal observation was used to elicit information from the respondents. A total of 115 respondents were selected and examined on the subject matter. Data gathered from the respondents were analysed using descriptive statistics. The finding showed that the characteristics of solid wastes in Ijebu-Ode include plastics, paper/glass, cartoon, sacks and food remnant as well as electronic waste which are generated from households, market places, religious centers and relaxation as well as event centers. The finding also revealed that there is indecent solid waste disposal in terms of waste separation, collection and recycling among the residents of Ijebu-Ode. Based on the finding of this study, it is recommended that government and non-governmental organizations should embark on public sensitization and distribution of garbage containers to residents of Ijebu-Ode in order to encourage sustainable waste disposal and waste management

Improving the food security status of sweet potato-based farm households in the face of post-harvest losses

In developing countries like Nigeria, despite the much-reliance on the Agri-sector for economicgrowth, food security, poverty reduction, and Eco-sustainability, the amount of annual post-harvest losses from agricultural products such as sweet potatoes has hit about half of its production level. This necessitated the conduct of this study in Kwara State, Nigeria to investigate the effect of post-harvest losses on the food security status of sweet potato producers using a multistage sampling technique and a semi-structured questionnaire to elicit information from sweet potato farmers. This information was analyzed with the aid of descriptive statistics, budgetary techniques, and multiple regression. Among other things, the result showed that eight (farming experience, marital status, educational level, household size, farmer's association, amount of credit used, variety of sweet potato, and total farm size) out of the twelve independent variables utilized in the model had a positive effect on the post-harvest loss, this suggests that all these variables contribute towards reducing post-harvest losses. The study recommends that policy actions geared at ensuring ready markets for sweet potatoes be put in place to decrease post-harvest losses and improve the living standard of sweet potato producers