Vulnerability determinant of rice farmers to climate change in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract. Emmanuel OE, Nnenna OM, Nkiruka B-CG, Henry AK, Ebuka OJ, Ogbuji EC, Thankgod EK, Chinenyenwa T-AA, Ugochukwu NE, Jerry UE, Chibueze NF. 2024. Vulnerability determinant of rice farmers to climate change in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Asian J Agric 8: 23-30. Climate change has become a reoccurring nightmare regarding agricultural production with negative impacts. The study researched the vulnerability determinants of rice farmers to climate change in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Rice farmers numbering 80 were picked using the purposive sampling method. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection, and mean, frequency counts, percentage, and probit regression models were employed in data analysis. Results show that the rice farmers were in their productive age, male, married, experienced, and relatively educated. Late onset of rainfall (98.8%), increased temperature (97.5%), prolonged drought (95.0%), severe windstorm (95.0%), and high evaporation rate (92.5%) were the most perceived climate change occurrences in the state. The use of improved varieties of seeds (100%), effective use of pesticides (96.3%), efficient application of fertilizers (95.0%), and diversification of crops (90.0%) were the primary adaptation measures to climate change. Age, education, access to capital, farming experience, access to climate change information, gender, and extension contacts were major determinant factors in the climate change vulnerability of rice farmers. High cost of fertilizer (100%), lack of timely access to inputs (97.5%), inadequate capital (97.5%), poor extension service (96.3%), and inadequate lands (90%) constrained rice production in the state. Farmers should practice more climate-smart agriculture to overcome the adverse effects of climate change on rice production.