Livelihood Adaptation Strategies of Adolescent Girls on Climate Change in Southwest Nigeria

The study examined the effects of climate change on the adolescent girls’ livelihood and the adaptation strategies employed by them in Southwest Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select respondents. Data were gathered through structured interview schedule from 240 adolescent girls. Data collected were analysed using frequency counts, percentages and inferential statistical tools. The result shows that the respondents had a mean age of 15.6. Majority (82.1%) of the adolescent girl had secondary education and the mean household size was 8. The major effects of climate change identified by the adolescent girl was scarcity of water 83.3%, others were prolonged rain break 79.6% and disease outbreak 72.5%. Some of their livelihood adaptation strategies were fetching of water (86.7%) and firewood (71.2%) from long distances, helping vulnerable groups suffering from climate induce ailments (70.4%) and reduction in food intake (52.9%). The study shows that education(x2=17.565; p≤0.007) and age (r=0.195; p≤0.002) had a significant relationship with the adolescent girls livelihood adaptation strategies. The study confirms that adolescent girls play some important roles in helping their family to adapt to the effects of climate change. It also reveals that there is a positive significant relationship between adaptation strategies employed by adolescent girls to the effects of climate change and the risk encountered by them (r=0.183;p≤0.004), Therefore the adolescent girls must be regarded as one of the stakeholders on climate change issues and they should be empowered.