CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES ADOPTED BY YAM FARMERS IN AKOKO SOUTH WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

As climate change continues to pose significant threats to agricultural productivity, understanding the adaptation strategies of smallholder farmers becomes essential for ensuring sustainable food security. This study examined climate change adaptation strategies by yam farmers in Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria. The study investigate the climate change adaption strategies among yam farmers in Akoko South West Local Government Area, Ondo Stat, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 110 yam farmers across four communities. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire and interview schedule. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, mean scores, adoption index, and logit regression model. The results revealed that yam farmers in the study area were predominantly male (80.9%), married (75.5%), with a mean age of 55.37 years, and had extensive farming experience (22.98 years). Findings showed that the most widely adopted adaptation strategies were altering planting dates or seasons (95.5%), shifting to new locations (92.7%), and changing crop rotation practices (90.9%). Conversely, adoption of improved irrigation systems (5.5%), livestock integration (4.5%), and the use of climate forecasting tools (1.8%) was low. Personal observation of changing weather patterns (90.9%) was the primary motivation for adopting adaptation measures, while peer-to-peer learning through fellow farmers (38.2%) was the dominant channel of knowledge transfer. Logit regression results indicated that socio-economic variables such as age, education, household size, access to credit, and farm size significantly influenced the likelihood of adopting climate change adaptation strategies.