The role of extension in agricultural adaptation to climate change in Enugu State, Nigeria

Type Journal Article - Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development
Title The role of extension in agricultural adaptation to climate change in Enugu State, Nigeria
Author(s)
Volume 3
Issue 3
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2011
Page numbers 42-50
URL http://www.academicjournals.org/app/webroot/article/article1379426712_Ozor and Nnaji.pdf
Abstract
The clear evidence that climate change is already a reality calls for actions not just to slow down the
process or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases (mitigation) but also to assist those affected or
threatened already to adjust in natural and human systems to a new or changing environment
(adaptation). The paper examined the role of extension in agricultural adaptation to climate change in
Enugu State. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used in selecting 120 respondents.
Descriptive statistics were used in analyzing data from the study. Results show that the most
significant effect of climate change in the area was intense weed growth (?= 4.52) while the most
popular adaptive measure adopted by respondents was the use of resistant crop and animal
varieties/species (95.43%). The study proposed that the key roles of extension in agricultural adaptation
to climate change were in the re-training of extension staff to acquire new capacity in climate risk
management (?= 3.93), setting up of emergency management units in extension agencies (?= 3.91),
dissemination of innovations on best practices and building resilience capacities of vulnerable people
in climate risk management (?= 3.90), and providing feedbacks to governments and interested agencies
on climate change issues (?= 3.9). The paper recommends a change in the extension service agenda to
accommodate the challenges currently posed by climate change by adopting new roles identified in the
study and the need for increased research and innovation for sustainable adaptation to climate change.

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