Farm-level adaptation measures to climate change and constraints among arable crop farmers in Ebonyi state of Nigeria

The study assessed farm-level adaptation measure to climate change and constraints among arable crop farmers in Ebonyi State. Primary data collected from 480 farmers were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The result of the socioeconomic characteristics established that majority (72.83%) of the respondents were aged 30 years and above. Also, majority (63%) were males who are married (61.09%), with an average household size of 10 persons per farmer. Greatest number (84%) of the farmers had acquired various form of formal education, while 56.09% of them farmed on sloppy, rocky/eroded, swampy or hilly farmland. Also, most (50%) of the respondents cultivate above 2.5 ha of farmland per cropping season with a monthly income of between 1,000 - N20,000. The study further showed that majority (79.13%) of the farmers have taken some measures to cope with the adverse impact of climate change. These include: the practice of mixed cropping and farming, cover cropping, organic manuring, use of fresh broad leaves (banana, plantain) for mulching, liming with wood-ash, invoking of rains during delay on its onset through sacrifices to gods, and adjusting planting time. The result of factor analysis using varimax rotated component matrix indicated that the most critical barriers to climate change adaptation in the area were captured under three factors viz: environmental, social/institutional, and economic constraints. The study recommends intensive sensitization programmes on climate change be extended to the rural farmers by government and relevant agencies concerned with climate change issues to ensure effective response to the climate change, for sustainable agricultural activities.