Paper short abstract:

The paper analyses the knowledge systems for climate change adaptation in rice production among farmers, agricultural extension agents and researchers in the Northern Region of Ghana.

Paper long abstract:

Ghana imports about 680,000 metric tonnes of rice annually to make up the discrepancy in local production which is affected by climate change and weak linkages among the rice knowledge system actors. The linkages and interactions among researchers, agricultural extension agents and farmers is key to adaptation of climate change measures to improve rice production. The study used convergent parallel mixed methods to collect data from 340 farmers, 39 Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) and 34 researchers to analyse the knowledge systems towards climate change adaptation in rice production. Whilst researchers perceived level of linkages and interactions with stakeholders to be good, farmers and AEAs perceived them to be moderate. This was as a result of inadequate extension staff, inadequate involvement of farmers in research activities and knowledge generation, late compilation and submission of problems faced by farmers as well as inadequacy of funds and language barrier affecting the way and time knowledge is generated and shared. There existed a significant positive relationship between farmers' level of linkages and interactions and their yield and external sources of finance. The study recommends among others quarterly town hall meetings for farmers, AEAs and researchers to interact and share feedback information. Furthermore, hands-on experience as teaching method such as method demonstration and farmer field should be intensified to improve linkages among the knowledge system actors.

Paper short abstract:

The study assesses the adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Land Management (SALM) methodology as a rigid response to climate change risk in Nigeria. SALM methodology uses the RothC model to measure carbon sequestration by calculating the soil carbon stock changes of the project farms.

Paper long abstract:

Various coping strategies have been proposed and used in Africa to alleviate climate change risks. Some of these methods include the use of improved crop varieties, fertilizers, irrigation schemes and reliance on climate data. Majority of these methods are effective but weak, thus the need for more rigid coping methods. One of such rigid methods is the adoption of climate-smart agriculture; my study focuses on carbon sequestration. Although this is a highly contested coping method in Nigeria, it is highly reliable and effective. My study is assessing Sustainable Agricultural Land Management (SALM) methodology using RothC model to calculate the efficacy of climate-smart agriculture on ten selected small-scale farms (five control farms and five project farms) in the agricultural zone of Oke Ogun area of Oyo State, Nigeria. Activity Baseline and Monitoring Survey (ABMS) is being used to acquire data for a period of 3 years ending 2020. The results so far showed that after 2 years of SALM adoption, the project farms produced maize (6.5), soybeans (1.75), guinea corn (2.75), and tomatoes (4.25) tons/hectare/year respectively in 2019 compared to maize (3.1), soybeans (0.75), guinea corn (3.8) and tomatoes (1.65) tons/hectare/year respectively produced in 2017. Also, the project farms significantly increased their crop yields from the application of SALM methodology; RothC model showed that the modeled soil carbon stock changes increased significantly by 14%. The study is expedient for informed policy formation in the Nigerian agricultural sector.

Paper short abstract:

Food security is threatened by the impact of climate change, and as Africa is dependent on Agriculture, it is vulnerable to those impacts. Numerous strategies have been suggested as ways to mitigate the effects of climate change, but, farmers' perception of climate change is very essential.

Paper long abstract:

Climate change leads to a decrease in the yield and quality of crops, therefore adaptation and coping measures are required to reduce the climate vulnerabilities. The perception of farmers to anticipated climate change may be a significant determinant of both climate change impacts and coping strategies. This paper aimed at determining rural rice farmers' perception of climate change, and the coping strategies adopted by these farmers to mitigate the impact of climate change. A multistage sampling technique was used to select a total of 200 rice farmers from rice producing areas of Anambra state. Descriptive statistics and 5 point - Likert scale were used for the analysis. Result of the 5point Likert scale showed that 52% of the farmers were aware of the concept of climate change. These rice farmers' perception of climate change were high intensity of sun, variation in rainfall duration, alteration in cropping calendar due to weather, prolonged dry and rainy seasons, heavy and windy rainfall, and poor yield of crops. Only 18% of the respondents perceived insect attack as effect of climate change. The coping strategies adopted by these farmers include adjustment of planting calendar, mixed cropping, moderate use of agrochemicals and fertilizers. About 27% of the farmers acknowledged usage of improved varieties as a coping strategy. The study suggests that more awareness on climate change and its coping strategies should be created and the use of plant varieties that can withstand changes in the climate promoted.

KEY WORDS: Climate change, Coping strategies, perception, Likert

Paper short abstract:

Agriculture in the world especially sub-Saharan Africa is at the crossroads simply because climate change has brought a menace to the agricultural sector, which must be attended to. One potentially feasible solution is to invest in and embrace resilient farming practices.

Paper long abstract:

Shifting to agricultural practices with resilient farming

practices is crucial in building resilience to climate change and

reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It is against this premise that this

study seeks to assess how land governance affects the willingness of

smallholders to embrace resilient farming practices (RFPs)) in the study

area. This study makes use of the 2017 Federal University of

Agriculture, Abeokuta ECOWAS RAAF PASANAO[1] Survey, a Nation-wide

Survey of Cereals Production Systems and Willingness to Accept

Incentives to Adopt Climate-Smart Practices among Smallholders in

Nigeria. This survey provides information on land governance as well as

RFPs which was used to achieve the objectives of this study. Land

governance was measured in the form of tenure type, land-use choices,

and tenure security. The respondents were selected in a multi-stage

random sampling process, covering sixteen States, six agricultural

blocks per state as well as 192 farming communities, summing up to 1,536

households. The RFPs were measured using four dummy variables -

agroforestry, good agricultural practices with manure, good agricultural

practices without manure and status quo. Data was analyzed using

descriptive and regression methods. A priori, land governance should

have a positive influence on the willingness to embrace RFPs. We,

therefore, conclude that sound land governance is fundamental in

achieving sustainable agriculture.

Paper short abstract:

The study assesses government's efforts at exploring the complementary roles of environmental Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in public engagement and education towards climate change responses.

Paper long abstract:

Overwhelming evidence in the literature suggests that while Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) is the least contributor to greenhouse emission, it is also the most vulnerable region to the negative impacts of climate change. This scenario necessitates an ever-increasing need for actors at various spheres of governance to develop appropriate response mechanisms for climate actions. However, the reality across SSA is that limited capacity of actors often undermines the effectiveness of climate change responses (CCR). In effect, there is an important need for the complementary role of non-state actors, notably environmental Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), to enhance appropriate response outcomes. NGOs can serve as appropriate channels for government to extend its public engagement drive; NGOs can also initiate programmes that help augment the efforts of government in CCR. However, questions remain on the extent to which governments explore these potentials of NGOs in public engagement drives relating to climate education and responses. Specifically, what is the nature of public policies including climate change response strategies to facilitate these? How effective are Government-NGO relations in enhancing public education on issues of climate change? In what ways are stakeholders working to address challenges in these areas at the subnational levels in Southwest, Nigeria? In answering these questions, our study draws primarily on interviews with key state and non-state actors in Lagos and Oyo, two environmentally challenged states in Nigeria's southwest zone; these were augmented with relevant policy papers and records directed at advancing knowledge of NGO processes towards climate action and sustainability in Africa.

Paper short abstract:

The study seeks to know how government at all levels respond to flood and its attendant humanitarian crises in Lagos State

Paper long abstract:

Flooding has often been described as one of the possible outcomes of climate change. Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria, has overtime been known to suffer from flood disaster. Reasons for this ranges from overpopulation, to topography and increased construction activities making some areas lie below sea level. With projected increase in global population and sustained migration to urban areas, the issue of flood disasters calls for serious attention, as it has demonstrated the capacity to wreak serious havoc. The effect of flood leaves victims more vulnerable and sometimes make them internally displaced. The poor socio-economic conditions that may become of victims of flood disasters, if government does not effectively address this issue, makes an inquiry into how government at all levels respond to flood and its attendant humanitarian crises in Lagos State compelling.

Precisely, the study seeks to know the nature of humanitarian crises arising from flood disasters. What are the governmental structures and frameworks involved in the management of flood-induced humanitarian crises in Lagos? How do relations between structures across levels of government impact the management of flood-related crises in the state? And what are the challenges affecting the management of flood-induced humanitarian crises in the state?

Using an exploratory research design, the study through semi-structured interviews gathers perspectives from officials drawn from governmental actors at different levels, non-governmental organisations, journalists, policy think tanks and the state parliament. The study's findings enlighten understanding on strategies necessary towards overcoming flood-induced humanitarian disasters in one of Africa's economic heartlands.

Paper short abstract:

The paper argues that the socio-political challenges in the Lake Chad Basin of the West and Central regional part of Africa are consequences of the ecological crisis in the region caused by climate change. Thus, I advanced an African Epistemic theory to enhance Leadership response to climate change

Paper long abstract:

The paper interrogate regional governmental responses to the management of the Lake Chad Basin(LCB). The shrinking of the lake due largely to climate change, engenders environmental degradation, transnational criminal activities, public health concerns and poverty. The leadership response to these crises has been through the Lake Chad Basin Commission established in 1964. I notes that, the activities of the commission culminating into the "Lake Chad Vision 2025" has yielded minimum success in addressing the effects of climate change in the region. This is due to the hydrological perspectives of Water (HP) that informs the commission's policy. The HP of water as a natural object, I argue, informs the unethical use of water system and the environment in the region. The paper argues for the hydrosocial perspective of water (HsP), where water is definable by the socio-cultural nexus it is embedded in. Consequently, the paper, using the hermeneutic approach, explores African Indigenous epistemology to examine the (HsP) for enhancing sustainable leadership response to the ecological crisis in the region. African epistemology reveals unitary ontologized thought that fuses the epistemic subject and the epistemic object. This has a basis of an inceptual thinking that better encapsulate social-cultural perception of Water as part of the human persons. A leadership response to the ecological crisis of this zone fashioned along the HsP, and built upon the indigenous knowledge process of the local people will forms basis an eco-critical interaction towards water. Thus enhancing leadership response to the ecological crisis in the LCB.