Land Adaptation Strategies across the Rain-fed Agricultural States as Climate Change Persists

Abstract

Acquisition of land for farming activities is hitting hard on the interested smallscale farmers in Nigeria while the available land faces climate change influenced degradation. This current research verified how farmers are coping across four rain-fed (Benue, Edo, Ondo and Niger) states using 1600 copies of pretested questionnaire administered through the multistage procedure. The retrieved copies were coded and analyzed descriptively (frequency and percentage) and inferentially (Chi-Square) at p < 0.05 levels of significance. The results showed that most farmland sizes were three plots, and adaptation of soil management techniques was observed in both Benue and Ondo States, where there were significant (p < 0.05) differences in the farmers' responses to indicate possible differences in policy could assist the two elements of quests. The farmers’ responses indicated addressing of land degradation significantly (p < 0.05), but not with application of fertilizers except in Ondo State (χ= 14.413, p = 0.108 > 0.05). The farmers responsively planted trees with the same reasons in Ondo State (χ= 4.813, p = 0.850 > 0.05). The farmers hardly exercised zero tillage except in Edo State, while the Ondo State's farmers had no different (χ= 4.813, p = 0.850 >0.05) opinion. Farmers' responses on farmland size, soil management techniques, and land degradation were positive but significantly different. Therefore, the investigation deduced that states with significantly different responses would require different decisions, agricultural policies, and adaptation strategies to lessen and ease the effects of climate change on the land of such states.