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Climate Change Perceptions and Attitudes to Smallholder Adaptation in Northwestern Nigerian Drylands

Author

Listed:
  • Nugun Patrick Jellason

    (School of Agriculture, Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 6JS, UK
    Bio-Resource Development Centre, National Biotechnology Development Agency, Abuja 900001, Nigeria)

  • Richard N. Baines

    (School of Agriculture, Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 6JS, UK)

  • John S. Conway

    (School of Agriculture, Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 6JS, UK)

  • Chukwuma C. Ogbaga

    (Department of Biological Sciences, Nile University of Nigeria, Airport Road, Abuja 900001, Nigeria)

Abstract

As climate change is projected to increase in vulnerable areas of the world, we examined farmers’ perceptions of this change and their attitudes to adaptation in two communities (Zango and Kofa) in northwestern Nigeria. A total of 220 arable farming households completed a livelihoods survey preplanting. The perceptions survey was followed by a survey of 154 households post-harvest for the attitudes questions based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). In addition to the positive responses from the farmers towards climate change perceptions, TPB findings reveal that such perceptions could lead to intentions to adapt as determinants of attitude were significant. Subjective norm was a significant predictor of adaptation intention in Kofa, but not in Zango. Perceived behavioural control, though useful, was not a determinant of climate change adaptation intention. Most importantly, principal component analysis (PCA) of climate change perception variables allowed us to discriminate smallholder farming households and can be used as a tool for segmentation into climate change-perceiving and nonperceiving farming households. Efforts towards improving the determinants of behavioural intention for the poorly perceiving group could lead to better decisions to adapt to climate change and provide more targeted extension support in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Nugun Patrick Jellason & Richard N. Baines & John S. Conway & Chukwuma C. Ogbaga, 2019. "Climate Change Perceptions and Attitudes to Smallholder Adaptation in Northwestern Nigerian Drylands," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-20, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:8:y:2019:i:2:p:31-:d:200178
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Jellason, Nugun P. & Robinson, Elizabeth J. Z. & Ogbaga, Chukwuma C., 2021. "Agriculture 4.0: is sub-Saharan Africa ready?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 113550, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Setyo Ferry Wibowo & Mukhamad Najib & Ujang Sumarwan & Yudha Heryawan Asnawi, 2022. "Rational and Moral Considerations in Organic Coffee Purchase Intention: Evidence from Indonesia," Economies, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-16, December.
    3. Azadi, Yousof & Yaghoubi, Jafar & Gholizadeh, Heydar & Gholamrezai, Saeed & Rahimi-Feyzabad, Fatemeh, 2025. "Social barriers to water scarcity adaptation: A grounded theory exploration in arid and semi-arid regions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 309(C).
    4. Batanai Sammie & Elvis Mupfiga & Liboster Mwadzingeni & Tavengwa Chitata & Raymond Mugandani, 2021. "A gendered lens to self-evaluated and actual climate change knowledge," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 11(1), pages 65-75, March.
    5. Tarik Tanure & Rafael Faria de Abreu Campos & Júlio César Reis & Rayna Benzeev & Peter Newton & Renato Aragão Ribeiro Rodrigues & Ana Maria Hermeto Camilo de Oliveira, 2024. "Farmers’ perceptions of climate change affect their adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies in the Brazilian Amazon and Atlantic Forest biomes," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 177(1), pages 1-24, January.
    6. Azadi, Yousof & Yaghoubi, Jafar & Gholamrezai, Saeed & Rahimi-Feyzabad, Fatemeh, 2024. "Farmers' adaptation behavior to water scarcity in Western Iran: Application of the values-identity-personal norms model," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    7. Adetomiwa Kolapo & Akeem Abiade Tijani & Seyi Olalekan Olawuyi & Adeyera James Kolapo & Temitope Oluwaseun Ojo & Nolwazi Zanele Khumalo & Khalid. Mohamed Elhindi & Hazem Kassem, 2025. "Psychological perspectives on smallholder farmers' choice of climate change adaptation strategies and productivity nexus in Southwest, Nigeria," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 71(4), pages 185-202.

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