Adaptation Strategies of Livestock Farmers to Climate Change in Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Climate change poses significant threats to livestock production systems in sub-Saharan Africa, with smallholder farmers being particularly vulnerable due to limited adaptive capacity. This study examined the adaptation strategies of livestock farmers to climate change in Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 200 livestock farmers, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used for data analysis. Results revealed that the majority (75%) of respondents were male, 52% were married, and 40% had secondary occupation as civil servants. Most farmers (65%) received extension visits 1-2 times monthly. The most commonly adopted adaptation strategies included building pen houses against wind (40%), construction of wind breaks (22%), and increasing water intake during dry periods (22%). The logistic regression analysis showed that education (p<0.05), extension contacts (p<0.05), and farming experience (p<0.01) were significant positive determinants of farmers' adaptation to climate change. However, the overall level of adaptation was low, with 36% of farmers lacking knowledge of appropriate adaptation practices. Major constraints included inadequate information on short-term climate variations (17%) and limited access to credit (18%). The study recommends strengthening agricultural extension services, establishing weather information dissemination systems, and providing credit facilities to enhance livestock farmers' adaptive capacity to climate change.