January 2021
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The study examined the effect of climate change variables on cocoyam farming in Southwest, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were to describe the farmers perceived effects of climate change on cocoyam farming; identify the activities of the farmers that aggravate the effect of climate change on cocoyam farming and determine the climate change variables influencing cocoyam output in the study area. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 240 cocoyam farmers from two states in the region. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. Primary data were obtained with the aid of pretested questionnaire while secondary data was collected from Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Ondo State chapter. The analytical tools employed were descriptive and inferential statistics. Results revealed that the major perceived effects of climate change on cocoyam farming in the study area were high intensity of sunlight (2.99), prolonged dry season (2.54), reduction in soil fertility (2.64), rapid erosion of farmland (2.76), poor yield (3.12), increased Pest and rodent attack (2.69), damage of plants due to windstorm (2.86), scarcity of cocoyam (2.95) and post-harvest losses. Continuous cropping (92%), bush burning (91.1%), use of agrochemicals (70.5%) and deforestation (62.5%) were the major farming activities that worsen the effect of climate change on cocoyam farming in the study area. The significant variables determining climate change variables that influence cocoyam output in the study area were relative humidity (p<0.05), wind (p<0.01), pressure (p<0.05), sunshine (p<0.05) and rainfall (p<0.01). The study concluded that climate change had both positive and negative influence on cocoyam farming in the study area and recommended that awareness programs and policies to regulate the anthropogenic practices that worsens the effects of climate change variables on cocoyam farming in the study area should be put in place by government at all levels.