Measuring the Effect of Climate Change and Productivity Factors on Cassava Production in Nigeria

Agriculture is one of the sectors that are greatly affected by climate. A change in climate would in no small measure impact on agriculture, location notwithstanding. This study examined the effect of climate change and productivity factors on cassava yields in Nigeria. Data were obtained from World Bank’s World Development Indicator (WDI), Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and IMF. ARDL method of data analysis was used to analyse the data. The Results showed that TEMP, Rf, LF, CS and AF are statistically significant at 5% and has positive effects on cassava yield. The paper concluded that cassava significantly depended on temperature, rainfall, labour force, capital stock, and availability of fertilizer. Based on the findings, the study recommends the need for national agricultural policy to prioritize cassava as a climate-resilient crop, Policies to support irrigation infrastructure and rainwater harvesting, inclusive financial policies, such as subsidized agricultural loans for smallholder cassava farmers, Establishing agricultural credit guarantee schemes and Encouraging microfinance institutions and cooperatives to offer targeted support for cassava producers, It also recommends for more extension officers in order to spread best practices and improve technical efficiency at the farm level, as well as investments in training programs and mechanization instruments for rural workers. Lastly, further analysis using mixed-methods approach (quantitative econometric modelling with qualitative insights) to better explain how farmers perceive and respond to climate impacts should be carried out.