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In both development policy and practice climate change adaptation and adaptive capacity have become the central theme in global climate change discourse. This is because climate change adaptation is not just a development issue but also survival hitch threatening most developing economies. This paper attempts to examine the capacity Ghana need to effectively adapt to climate change. The paper is extensively theoretical with minimal interview data collected from the Ghanaian business community, climate change graduate students, multi-disciplinary researchers and policy practitioners in the field of climate change. It was found that capacity needed to address climate change in Ghana is not different from those needed to address any social hazards, though it requires capacity beyond business as usual. The required capacities include timely information dissemination, training and research, technological penetration, leadership, financial resource, institutional resourcing and collaboration. Recommendations were made for improvement in each of these needed capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have affirmed the adverse effects of climate change on different sectors of society, with manifolds of consequences for human wellbeing. The rapid population and infrastructural development along the Lagos Coastal area present many challenges. The study aims to identify the potential and real-life effects of climate change on the livelihood of coastal dwellers of the Ojo Local Government Area. The study also identifies the adaptation practice and capacity of the coastal communities as well as the challenges faced by these communities to understand their vulnerability to the challenges of the changing climate. The study adopts a random sampling of 150 respondents and is analyzed using the Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and presented in statistical tables and charts. The PCA extracted 5 components and explained their correlation in 5 variables; socio-economic characteristics, awareness, flooding/erosion, government policy, and adaptation strategies among the coastal dwellers. The study concluded that integrated coastal zone management is needed through the adoption of an integrated approach toward different interests in both the land and marine components of the coastal area. The study also observed that the majority of the respondents are knowledgeable about the effect of climate change on their livelihood and therefore recommends robust awareness campaign programs in conjunction with increased infrastructure upgrades and effective development control through the Environmental Management Act (NEMA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have affirmed the adverse effects of climate change on different sectors of society, with manifolds of consequences for human wellbeing. The rapid population and infrastructural development along the Lagos Coastal area present many challenges. The study aims to identify the potential and real-life effects of climate change on the livelihood of coastal dwellers of the Ojo Local Government Area. The study also identifies the adaptation practice and capacity of the coastal communities as well as the challenges faced by these communities to understand their vulnerability to the challenges of the changing climate. The study adopts a random sampling of 150 respondents and is analyzed using the Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and presented in statistical tables and charts. The PCA extracted 5 components and explained their correlation in 5 variables; socio-economic characteristics, awareness, flooding/erosion, government policy, and adaptation strategies among the coastal dwellers. The study concluded that integrated coastal zone management is needed through the adoption of an integrated approach toward different interests in both the land and marine components of the coastal area. The study also observed that the majority of the respondents are knowledgeable about the effect of climate change on their livelihood and therefore recommends robust awareness campaign programs in conjunction with increased infrastructure upgrades and effective development control through the Environmental Management Act (NEMA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptation is crucial to combating the adverse effect of climate variability thus reducing farmers’ vulnerability. This study was carried out to investigate the vulnerability and adaptation strategies of rural farmers to climate variability in Oyo State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used and 160 respondents were selected across the four agriculture zones in the State. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, livelihood vulnerability index, and correlation analysis. Vulnerability assessment of the respondents showed that Oyo zone had the highest vulnerability index (0.72). The major components contributing to households’ vulnerability to climate variability in the four zones were lack of financial capital (63.23%) and lack of physical assets (20.3%). Result further showed that the most practiced adaptation strategies by the respondents across the four zones include mulching (85.13%), preparation of ridges and furrow (80%) and changing of planting dates to suitable time (83.75%). However, climate mitigation practices such as agro-forestry (1.6%), organic fertilizer use (21.66%) and irrigation (0.83) were not common in Saki, Oyo and Ogbomoso zones. The study revealed that climatic variables significantly affected the total farm income realized in the study area and that most of the farm households were vulnerable to climate variability and were food insecure. It is therefore recommended that, adaptive strategies such as irrigation, organic fertilizer use and agro-forestry should be encouraged among farmers in order to mitigate climatic variations and enhance higher productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate variability has serious effects on the livelihood of rural people who depend on agriculture. The dependency of local people on agriculture and its significant contribution to their socio well-being makes the situation more critical. The study examined the impact of climate variability on livelihood o communities around Kamuku National Park (KNP) Birni-Gwari, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Data for the study were collected with the use of structured questionnaire administered to 280 house heads in 8 villages (Birnin-Gwari, Mando, Doka, Bugai, Dagara, Sabolayi, Kakagngi) around the Park. The result reveal that majority of the respondent had little knowledge on the cause of climate variability. They are aware of the changes in climatic variables of their areas in terms of increase in temperature, changes in rainfall pattern and intensity. The Communities perceived decline in agricultural production as a major impact of climate variability. Other impacts perceived are shortage of water for irrigation, household and animal consumption, cases of diseases in human, plant and animals, decrease in soil fertility and migration of youths. The study recommended awareness on climate variability to the communities on causes and effect of climate variability, awareness on climate variability and its impact on livelihood must be raised in the communities. People are experiencing changing climate but they don't know the cause and consequences of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the impacts of climate change on the livelihoods of some selected rural communities of Kaduna state, and the adaptation strategies employed by the people to ameliorate the scourge of climate change. Data for this study were obtained from a direct field study based on the result of 426 questionnaires that were administered to household heads. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents. A five point Likert scale was used to determine the impacts of climate change and adaptation strategies employed by the rural communities. Focus Group Discussions were also held in each Local Government Area in order to obtain in-depth information on the changing climate. The study identified decline in crop yields with a mean score (x¯) of 4.01, increased sickness (x¯= 3.85), decrease in soil fertility (x¯= 3.83), decline in forest resources (x¯ = 3.66) as the most significant impacts of climate change in the area; whereas use of fertilizer/animals dung (x¯ = 3.89), water harvesting (x¯-3.68), planting of economic trees and drought resistant crops (x¯= 3.25) among others were the most significant and sustainable adaptation strategies adopted by the rural people. The study recommended that awareness programs on climate change challenges should be intensified, and probabilistic analysis of observed rainfall data in order to provide information about the beginning, the end and length of the rainy season, and the amount of available water during the season. Lastly, sustainable adaptation strategies employed by the rural people should be strengthened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of climate change on agriculture, economy and livelihood of the populations of developing countries and mainly in Sub-Saharan West Africa (SSWA) is no longer a prediction but reality. The impacts of climate change have been found to be heavy on rural farmers whose source of livelihood is mainly from the natural resources in their environment. The farmers' perception and adaptation to the climate change will therefore determine the extents to which they can overcome the challenges posed by climate change. In this research, the coping strategies as well as factors influencing the cocoa farmers' adaptation to climate change in Ondo State, Nigeria was investigated. Data were collected through multi-stage sampling technigue. A well structured guestionnaire was used to obtain information from 100 cocoa farming households and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Ordinary Least Sguares (OLS) Regression Technigues. The descriptive analysis revealed that, all the farmers were aware of climate change and they coped with the observed climate changes. The farmers used various adaptation methods which were diversifying into other crops (14.7%); monitoring of weather change by indigenous knowledge (32.6%); regular cocoa spraying (50.5%) and monitoring of weather change through media (24.2%). Household size (+0.05), farmer awareness of climate change (+0.34) and access to radio information (+0.81) were the key determinants of adaptation of farmers. Educating the farmers through the media to improve awareness of potential benefits of adaptation is an important policy measure. In addition, enhancing farmers' access to extension agents is crucial in improving farmers' awareness of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]