THE EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT IN NIGERIA:(1980-2023)

Climate change poses significant threats to agricultural productivity worldwide, with vulnerable nations like Nigeria experiencing severe impacts. This study investigates the relationship between climate change and agricultural output in Nigeria from 1980 to 2023. Using a mixed-methods approach combining statistical analysis of temperature, rainfall, and agricultural output data with surveys of farmers' perceptions, this research reveals substantial correlations between climate variability and agricultural productivity.The findings indicate that rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns have led to decreased crop yields, altered growing seasons, and increased pest and disease prevalence. The study also highlights regional disparities, with northern regions exhibiting greater vulnerability. Farmer surveys underscore the need for climate-resilient agricultural practices and policy support. The study recommends that since green house gas emission, especially CO2 is responsible for high atmospheric temperature. processes that increase greenhouse gas emissions should be avoided. This no doubt, will give expression to a better quality of the environment that can enhance crop productivity based on technological progress. While government policy is discouraging deforestation, it should also promote farm practices such as reducing tillage, decreasing empty land, returning biomass residue of crop to soil, and increasing the use of cover crops, which can reduce CO2 emission through carbon sink.