ASSESSMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS AND ADAPTATION PRACTICES AMONG CEREALS CROP FARMERS IN BWARI AREA COUNCIL FCT, ABUJA, NIGERIA

The study assessed farmers’ awareness of climate change and adaptation practices among cereals crop farmers in Bwari Area Council F.C.T. Abuja. Five (5) wards were purposively selected using multistage Eighty (80) cereals crop farmers were selected for the study and the data obtained was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The result revealed that farmers in the study area were young and active with mean age of 33 years. 91.25% of the farmers were male and married. The cereals crop farmers in the study area were educated. The mean household size was 9 persons; the mean farm size was 1ha and 48.75% of the land acquired by inheritance. The mean annual r income was ₦10,500: 00k. The study revealed further that the farmers were aware of climate change with 62.5% awareness. The adaptation practices adopted by the farmers were planting 28%, early early maturing crop 27% and using resistance varieties 11%. The causes of climate change according to this study were: deforestation (35.00%), human activities (33.75%) and overgrazing (23.75%). The constraints to adaptation practices includes: lack of capital (36.25%), lack of adequate information (12.50%), lack of extension agents (15.0%) and lack of access to adaptation practices (31.25%). Farmers should endeavo to form cooperative societies to access credit Government organize facilities, should training and workshops on climate change adaptation practices and Government should establish extension services stationsoffered recommendations. were sampling procedures.