Livelihood options as adaptation to climate variability among households in rural southwest Nigeria: Emerging concerns and reactions

Abstract

Climate variability is no doubt one of the greatest challenges facing inhabitants of sub-Sahara African countries, and especially those relying on agriculture as their primary source of livelihood. This is not unconnected with the fact that agriculture, a climate-dependent and climate-controlled livelihood source, remains the largest employer of labour in these countries. This study examined the activities engaged in by farming households in rural southwest Nigeria as a way of mitigating climate variability shocks. Data was collected through a questionnaire administered to a random sample of 250 households in rural Nigeria. Analytical methods employed include descriptive statistics and tobit regression model. A descriptive analysis of respondents’ socioeconomic characteristics revealed their average age to be 52 years with only about one-third having tertiary education. Results indicated a noticeable shift in farming household activities, where livelihood options embraced to cushion climate variability include ‘okada’ riding (motorcycle passenger transport), attending political rallies, taking up menial jobs in neighbouring communities, trading, and migrating to city centres in search of paid jobs. However, this development is already taking its toll on food security status of residents in terms of availability and affordability. Results of a Tobit model revealed a positive and statistically significant correlation between the livelihood options harnessed and age, years of formal education, income, membership of social group, as well as access to credit. However, negative and significant relationships were found between the livelihood options harnessed and household size and poverty status of respondents. Suggested policy prescriptions include investment in capacity building of farming households so as to enhance their earning potential and effort should be geared at encouraging cooperative activities since this can help in sharing and mitigating covariate shocks like climate change.