Smallholders Farmers' Perceptions on the Impacts of Climate Change on Their Livelihoods in Kuje Area Councils

The study examined smallholders Farmers' Perceptionsion of the impacts of climate change on their livelihood in Kuje Area Councils of (FCT), Nigeria. Multi-stage random techniques were used to select 100 respondents. Data collected was analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics such as frequency tables, percentages. The average years of age of the respondents were 46 years. 88% of the respondents had between 1-5 hectares of land. Results on level of education show that the majority (75%) of the respondents had a basic level of education. The mean income of respondents was N 450,000. Respondents perceived temperature (76%), change in seasonal periods (70%) and rainfall distribution (60%) as the major effects of climate change that have led to low output of crops in the study area. Results show that measures are taken to mitigate the effects of climate change by respondents were combining farming with other sources of livelihood as 75%, source information from friends and relatives on how to cop the impacts of climate change 67%, adopts afforestation 48%. However, 66% of the respondents in the study area had not taken any steps to cope with the effects of climate change. Major constraints faced by respondents were lack of irregular climate information 95%, inadequate extension services 78% and Unpredicted rainfall 75%. It was recommended that stakeholders in climatic change issues should educate the smallholders' farmers on the effects of climate change and the measures to take in mitigating the effects of climate change.