Adoption of indigenous practices for climate change adaptation by sweet potato farmers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Existing literature recognizes the role of indigenous practices in building resilience to climate change, yet few empirical studies have examined crop- and location-specific strategies. This research assessed that gap by assessing the indigenous adaptation practices of sweet potato farmers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Indigenous practices are defined as traditional farming approaches, skills, and strategies passed down through generations within a specific locality or culture. Data were collected through a multistage sampling procedure and analyzed using mean scores, percentages, and probit regression analysis. Results showed that most sweet potato farmers widely adopted indigenous practices such as changing planting dates (x̄ score = 3.5), crop rotation (x̄ score = 3.2), mixed farming (x̄ score = 3.4), and crop diversification (x̄ score = 3.1). The challenges associated with the utilization of indigenous practices included a lack of real-time and accurate information (74%), limited knowledge of potentially feasible options (79%), and competing resource use (87%). Age (β = 0.326) positively influenced the extent of indigenous practice use, while distance to farm (β = −0.101), religion (β = −0.213), and membership in cooperative associations (β = −0.652) had negative effects. Overall, sweet potato farmers extensively employed indigenous practices as part of their strategies for adapting to climate change. Christian organizations and cooperative associations should be encouraged to support the adoption of these strategies among farmers. Furthermore, the study recommends that agricultural credits and loans be provided through the national agricultural bank to help farmers overcome financial constraints in implementing indigenous climate change adaptation practices.