Effects of Climatic Influence on Sweet Potato ( Ipomea batatas) Production in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the effect of climatic variations influencing sweet potato production in Cross River State, Nigeria in the 2018 cropping season. The study described the socio-economic characteristics of the sweet potato farmers in the study area, identify major climatic factors influencing sweet potato production in the study area, assessed the perceptions of sweet potato farmers on the effects of climatic variations on sweet potato production, and identified measures adopted by sweet potato farmers to improve on its production in the study area. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 200 respondents for the study. Structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data from the farmers. Frequency tables, percentages, means, chi-square (X 2) and the likert scale were used to achieve the study objectives. Findings revealed that 62% of the respondents were males, 67% of them were between 21-50 years of age while 61% are married. It also indicated that, 54% had a household size of 1-5 persons, 76% had formal education and 63% of them had sweet potato farming experience of between 6-15 years. On climate variation influence, the study revealed that 76% of the respondents agreed that they perceived climate variation effects on their sweet potato farms. The chi-square results showed that there were perceived significant (p<0.05) climate influence on sweet potato production in the study area. The major climatic elements observed to express serious constraints in sweet potato production in the area were rainfall, temperature, sunshine, relative humidity and flooding as these variables created problems ranging from irregular rainfall pattern, rotting of sweet potato tubers, low soil moisture, early or late cessation of rainfall, water-logging, flooding and erosion. Remedial measures on climate variation influences include; inter-crop sweet potato with other crops, plant sweet potato on ridges and on big mounds, plant early maturity sweet potato and disease resistant varieties. The study recommends that the farmers should adopt cultural farming practices like mulching to conserve the soil moisture, plant tolerant and improved resistant varieties of sweet potato to drought while irrigation scheme for water supply be provided to ensure water supply to the crop at appropriate time.