Abstract

This study examined the awareness and adaptation to climate change among farmers in the Sahel savanna agro-ecological zone of Borno State, Nigeria. Data for the study were collected from 225 respondents selected through multi-stage sampling technique. Socio-economic profile of the respondents indicated that 48.89% of them were above 45 years of age and majority (78.23%) had educational qualification below secondary school level. The study also revealed that more than half (67.56%) of them had less than 7 number of extension contact during the 2010 farming season. Analyses of the source of awareness about climate change revealed that majority (82.22%) of the respondents were aware of the phenomenon of climate change. The study showed that planting ahead of rains (97.78%) and planting of cover crops (80.00%), was the adaptation strategies most used by the farmers. It was also found that educational qualification and the number of extension contact were the most important factors that influenced the use of adaptation measures among the respondents. However, the main constraints to the use of climate change adaptation measures by farmers in the study area were poor financial resources (86.67%) and non availability of weather information (77.78%). The study concluded that majority of the farmers were aware of climate change and its consequences. It was therefore recommended that extension education should be strengthened in order to boost farmers’ awareness of climate change and prepare them for adaptation measures.

Key words: Climate change, adaptation, extension agent, farmers.