RURAL FARMERS’ PERCEPTION OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN CENTRAL AGRICULTURAL ZONE OF DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Farmer perception of their environment is a factor of climate change. Adaptation to climate change requires farmers to realize that the climate has changed and they must identify useful adaptations and implement them. This study analyzed the per-ception of climate change among rural farmers in central agri-cultural zone of Delta State, Nigeria. Climate change studies often assume certain adaptations and minimal examination of how, when, why, and conditions under which adaptations usually take place in any economic and social systems. The study was conducted by survey method on 131 respondents using struc-tured interview schedule and questionnaire. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and linear regression model to test that education, gender, and farming experience influenced farmers’ perception of climate change. The results showed that the farmers were aware of climate change. The identified causes of climate change were ranging from intensified agriculture, population explosion, increased use of fossil fuel, loss of in-digenous know practice to gas flaring. The effects of climate change on crops and livestocks were also identified by the rural farmers. Many of the farmers adapted to climate change by planting trees, carrying out soil conservation practice, changing planting dates, using different crop varieties, installing fans in livestock pens, and applying irrigation. Almost half of them did not adapt to climate change. The linear regression analysis revealed that education, gender, and farming experience influ-enced farmers’ perception of climate change. The major barriers to adaptation to climate change included lack of information, lack of money, and inadequate land

The Impact of Rural-Urban Migration on Plantation Agriculture in the Niger Delta Region, Nigeria

This study was carried out to unveil the impact of rural-urban migration on plantation agriculture productivity in the Niger-Delta Region of Nigeria. Data were collected from 660 rural households and managers/supervisors of 15 selected oil palm, rubber, and cocoa plantations in the Niger-Delta Region. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Most migrants were able bodied young adults. Labor shortage was experienced by all the visited plantations. Due to labor shortages, most of the plantations could not harvest completely. This resulted in foregone revenue for the plantations. Rural-urban migration significantly and positively correlated with labor shortage, incomplete harvesting and foregone revenue. It was recommended that the government should invest in infrastructure development of the rural sector and in cooperation with donors, should encourage engineering departments of our universities to develop simple machines that can compensate for labor shortages in the plantations

Child Labor in Agricultural Production and Socioeconomic Variables among Arable Farming Households in Nigeria

This study was conducted to determine the level of child labor involvement in arable crop farming. A multistage random sampling method was used to select the respondents. Data were collected with the use of a structured interview schedule and questionnaire. Most farming household heads were males (60.61%) and 65% had no formal education, with an average age of 42.28 years, an average household size of 11 persons, annual average income of N192,000.00, and average farm size of 1.13ha. The children participated in field preparation, planting, weeding, pesticide, fertilizer and herbicide application, harvesting, transportation, and processing. Many (43.33%) of the children combined schooling with farming operations. The decision of the farming, household heads to use child labor was influenced by socioeconomic variables such as gender, age, level of education, household size, farm income, farm size, culture, economic factors, and political factors. It is recommended that extension agents should educate farming household heads on the consequences of using child labor, especially with respect to chemical application. The concerned agencies need to educate farming household heads on the danger of involving child labor in farming at the expense of school attendance; educational and input empowerment by government should be closely monitore

Impact of COVID-19-induced rural-rural migration on agricultural productivity in Delta State, Nigeria

This study was embarked on to unveil the impact of COVID-19-induced migration on agricultural productivity in Delta State, Nigeria. This survey study involved rural arable crop farmers. Data were collected from households and community survey of 517 families through structured interview schedule (questionnaire administered by face to face interview). It was found that 41% and 30% of the present and second generations respectively, in receiving communities were immigrants. In receiving communities, 68% of the households were of the largest ethnic group compared to 95% fraction in sending communities. Households in sending communities had smaller farm sizes than those in receiving communities. In sending communities, 41% and 65% of the migrant and indigenous populations, respectively, contacted the disease, while there was no recorded case in receiving communities. The mean yield in receiving communities was higher than that in the sending communities. COVID-19 incidents and other factors influenced immigration to receiving communities. The soil and land factors in receiving communities also contributed to decision on migration. Migration increased agricultural productivity in receiving communities, while productivity was reduced in sending communities. However, other factors such as distance to farm, farm size, age of household head and assets also affected yields in sending and receiving communities. The policy implications are that government ought to have considered the fact that, naturally, farm families work while giving distances to themselves in farms. Communities need to participate in decisions on issues like this in the future to collectively, fathom a way out especially in rural communities

Biodiversity Conservation and Poverty Alleviation in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria

This paper established that biodiversity conservation can aid the alleviation of poverty among the people of the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. The benefits derived from biodiversity were discussed and the ways through which biodiversity can be applied as a tool in the reduction of poverty were emphasized as including bio-regional management approach to biodiversity conservation, ecotourism, community participation in biodiversity management, advocacy of sericulture and drawing from the experiences, knowledge and ideas of conservation bodies all over the world. The paper also maintained that the extension services of government and non–governmental organizations (NGOS) should not be left out in this process as they are equipped with the teaching, communication and human relationship and rural sociological skills to live up to the tasks in the process of poverty alleviation through biodiversity conservation. Besides, the knowledge and ideas of other professionals including ecologists, conservationists, geographers, zoologists, botanists, taxonomists, and soil scientists should be tapped as biodiversity conservation requires a multi-disciplinary approach

Male and Female Participation in Selected Agricultural Development Programmes in Edo state

The study assessed the level of male and female equality in participating in agricultural development programmes in Edo state. Purposive sampling was used to select 135 respondents made up of both men (79) and women (56) from the intervention programmes present in the three selected LGAs. Data were collected from the respondents using questionnaire and interview schedule. The results show that the respondents had mean age of approximately 45 years; most of the respondents were married and had one form of formal education or the other. The male had grand participation mean of 2.94 and participation index of 0.74, while the female participants had grand participation mean of 3.52 and participation index of 0.88. It was concluded that female farmers in Edo State had a higher level of participation than their male counterparts

Male and Female Participation in Selected Agricultural Development Programmes in Edo state

The study assessed the level of male and female equality in participating in agricultural development programmes in Edo state. Purposive sampling was used to select 135 respondents made up of both men (79) and women (56) from the intervention programmes present in the three selected LGAs. Data were collected from the respondents using questionnaire and interview schedule. The results show that the respondents had mean age of approximately 45 years; most of the respondents were married and had one form of formal education or the other. The male had grand participation mean of 2.94 and participation index of 0.74, while the female participants had grand participation mean of 3.52 and participation index of 0.88. It was concluded that female farmers in Edo State had a higher level of participation than their male counterparts

Determinants of Loan Repayment Performance Among Women Self Help Groups in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

This paper investigated the determinants of loan repayment performance among women self-help groups in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used to gather information from one hundred and twelve (112) women farmers from eight communities within the States, using the multistage sampling technique. The study revealed that credit was available for agricultural production, processing and petty trading among women farmers. The mean amount of loan disbursed to farmers was N18,147.3 while the mean amount of N15,000 was repaid. Loan repayment percentage was determined to be 83.73% while percentage default was 17.27%. The estimated regression model indicated that women as household heads (X2), interest rate (X3) and household size (X4), negatively and significantly affected the loan repayment performance of women farmers while price stability of farm proceeds (X5) and commitment to self help groups (X6), positively and significantly affected the loan repayment of women farmers in self help groups in the area. It was therefore recommended that more self help credit/saving groups be established in the state and that financial institutions within the state should form a linkage with this groups for efficient loan scheme