Gender Perceived Effects of Climate Change in Farming Communities of Ekiti and Ogun States Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Climate change effects are threats to the attainment of sustainable development goals, therefore its perception by men and women farmers is crucial for adaptation purpose. This study investigated gender perceived effects of climate change in Ogun and Ekiti State southwest Nigeria. The multi-stage sampling procedure was employed to randomly select 358 men and 222 women farmers. A semistructured questionnaire was used to obtain data and analysed with frequency counts, means, percentages, Chi-square, Pearson's Product Moment Correlation, t-test, regression and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Increased pest and disease outbreak, and decreased agricultural yield were perceived as the most significant effects of climate changes. The study reveals that significant differences (p<0.01) existed in men and women farmers' perceived effects of climate change. Regression analysis indicated that the strongest predictors of men and women farmers' perceived effects of climate change were farming experience (t= 6.02, p<0.01) and membership of other associations (t=6.69, p<0.01) respectively. The study, therefore, recommended that all climate change interventions should be gender-responsive to generate appropriate adaptation measures for farmers to cope with climate change effects.