Rural Farmers’ Use of Indigenous Crop Management Practices for Climate Variability Adaptation in Imo State, Nigeria
Godson-Ibeji CC, Aminu GO, and Chikaire JU*
ABSTRACT
The study analyzed indigenous crop management practices employed by farmers to ensure adaptation in the face of climate variability in Imo State, Nigeria. A total of 360 farmers were randomly selected from the three agricultural zones of the State. Interview schedule was used to elicit information from the respondents. Percentage, mean and Standard deviation were used to describe data collected. Results showed that the farmers were fully aware of climate variability as indicated by a high percentage score of the various prediction signs; erratic rainfall pattern (86.1%), heavy flooding (94.4%), long rainfall (88.8%) among others. Climate variability affects crop production in the following ways ; crop infestation by pests and diseases (M=3.26), leads to death of farmers (M-3.01), heavy presence of armyworms (M=2.76) among others effects. The farmers used the following indigenous crop management practices use of indigenous grains (94.4%), crop rotation (91.6%), multiple cropping (93.1%) among others. The following are benefits of indigenous crop management practices- practices are cheap and cost free (M=3.32), not harmful to human health (M=3.95), practices have no side effects (M=3.27), readily available domestically (M=3.75), and practices have no expiry date. The above practices are safe and have proved successful for centuries and we recommend that they should be integrated into the modern practices of agriculture.
