The Use of Indigenous Methods in Seasonal Climate Prediction and Adaptation among Farmers in Atisbo Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

In recent times, agricultural productivity has been on the decline in ATISBO Local Government of Oyo State due to neglect by the government and more recently, severity of climate change. More worrisome is the fact that farmers do not have access to modern technologies for climate prediction and adaptation which has made them to rely heavily on their indigenous methods. Consequently, the focus of this study is to investigate the indigenous methods used by farmers in climate prediction and adaptation as well as the effects of climate change on crop yield. Data for the study were obtained via a structured questionnaire and focus group discussion involving 260 farmers. It was found that farmers’ age (R²=19.7%; B=0.444), duration of stay in locality (R²=35.7%; B=0.598) and education (R²=38.9%; B=-0.623) were the major determinants of the use of indigenous methods in climate prediction and adaptation. Animal behaviour, plant phenology, atmospheric changes, astronomical changes and water bodies were the major indigenous methods of climate prediction while multi cropping and contour ploughing were some adaptive measures. Crop yields of the farmers declined drastically while it is glaring that climate change is taking its toll on the indigenous methods of farmers. The paper recommends easy access of farmers to modern technologies for climate prediction and adaptation, as well as the integration of indigenous methods with scientific method.