Climate Change Adaptation Among Poultry Farmers: Evidence from Nigeria

Most climate change adaptation studies in agriculture focus on staple food crops. Few studies have examined livestock farmers in Africa and even fewer have considered small animals such as poultry. Heat stress associated with climate change is a challenge to poultry farmers due to its negative effect on chicken growth and productivity. As the poultry subsector across Africa expands to meet changing consumption patterns, understanding how farmers deal with the realities of poultry production due to climate change is critical. This study explores the level and determinants of the adoption of climate change adaptation strategies among poultry farmers in Nigeria. A multivariate probit analysis reveals that poultry farmers practice climate change adaptation strategies with a clear heterogeneity of strategies at different production scales. Small farms tend to invest in traditional strategies such as the stocking of local breeds while medium and large farms adopt modern technologies such as air and water ventilation and the use of bulbs that emit less heat. Our study finds that farmers who have experienced heat related losses are more likely to adopt modern practices and more likely to adopt multiple adaptation strategies at a time.