Abstract

The earth’s climate is changing and global temperature has drastically increased since the 1850s and by the end of this century, it could be warmer. Climate change is a global issue affecting all sectors and communities in different parts of the world especially the agricultural sector.

This study therefore seeks to “assess the knowledge and perception of farmer’s adaptation of market to climate change along the slope of Mount Cameroon”.

Using a stratified random sampling technique, questionnaires were distributed to 160 farmers along the mount Cameroon slope, where farmer’s perception of climate change was assessed. Linear regression was used to identify trends in climatic parameters (such as temperature and rainfall).

The chi-square test was used to verify if the adaptation methods put in place were successful or not at 0.05 level of significance. Results showed that farmers are aware of climate change as they tend to perceive current increase in temperature.

To most farmers, climate change is caused by human actions, natural disasters, god’s anger, soil depletion, pests/diseases. Results revealed that lack of information as well as poverty remains a major challenge in putting in place the adaptation measures.

In order to fight climate change, adaptation measures such as: construction of dams, mixed farming, control of human activities, and afforestation should be put in place, farmers should be sensitized and educated on climate change, subsidies as well as loans should be granted to farmers by the government or N.G.O to boost up the adaptation strategies.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

The earth’s climate is changing. Carbon-dioxide levels in the atmosphere have increased from about 284 ppm in 1832 to 402 ppm in 2016 (Tans & Keeling, 2016).

The global mean temperature has increased by 0.8 0 C since the 1850s, and by the end of this century, it could be 1.8 to 4.0 0 C warmer than at the end of the previous century (Wheeler & Von Braun, 2013) due to the constant changes of the temperature.

Climate change is a global issue. It affects all sectors and communities in different parts of the world.

The nature and magnitude of the impacts depend on the local socio-economic and geographic factors, and on how well individuals and communities are prepared and able to adapt to the climate variability and change.

There is growing evidence that climate change, specifically higher temperatures, altered patterns of precipitation and increased frequency of extreme events such as drought and floods, is likely to depress crop yields and increase production risks in many world regions (IPCC, 2001).

Thus, the debate has now shifted from high level advocacy on “the need to act”, as this argument seems to be essentially over, to regional and country level responses on “how to adapt” (Schiermeier, 2007; Wilby, 2007) and the effectiveness of the adaptation strategies.

Climate change also presents challenges to the resilience of the agricultural system and food security.

Climate change is expected to intensify existing problems and create new combinations of risks, like droughts, shortage of food etc particularly in Africa.

The situation is made worst due to factor such as widespread poverty, over dependence on rain fed agriculture, inequitable land distribution, limited access to capital and technology, inadequate public infrastructure, such as roads, long term weather forecasts and inadequate research and extension.

By lessening the severity of key damages especially to the agricultural sector, adaptation is the key defensive measure. Adaptation to climate change involves changes in agricultural management practices in response to changes in climate conditions.

According to Schneider et al. (2007) vulnerability of any system to climate change is the degree to which these systems are susceptible and unable to survive with the adverse impacts of climate change.

They also explained the concept of risk as which combines the magnitude of the impact with the probability of its occurrence, captures uncertainty in the underlying processes of climate change, exposure, impacts and adaptation.

At present due to anthropogenic activities like industrialization, deforestation and automobiles amongst others. changes in the climate are being taken place, which will again turn detrimental to life (Rakshit et al., 2009).

The changes in climate may include fluctuations in temperature, increase in soil salinity, water logging, high atmospheric Carbon-dioxide concentration and UV radiation.

High temperature is due to the increased amount of greenhouse gases like Carbon-dioxide and Methane in atmosphere, which is commonly known as global warming or greenhouse effect. Global combined surface temperatures over land and sea have been increased from 13.68degree C in 1881-90 to 14.47degree C in 2001-10 (WMO, 2013).

Globally averaged surface temperature is expected to rise by between1.1°C up to 6.4°C by the last decade of the 21st century (Minaxi et al., 2011).

The annual average temperature in Buea is 18.6degree C while the average annual rainfall is almost 3000mm (Buea-CVUC). Most rain falls during the 31 days centered on August 18, with an average total accumulation of 14.7 inches. The least rain falls around January 2, with an average total accumulation of 0.6 inches.

Agriculture is the economic main stay of most African countries, except in oil-exporting countries, contributing 20-30% of Africa’s Gross domestic product (GDP) and 55% of the total value of African exports, with 70% of the continent’s population depending on the sector for their livelihood (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 2009).

In most African countries, crop farming is mainly subsistence and rain-fed, but due to climate change frequent and untimely raining affects harvest of produce and thus, food production.

This makes Africa particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The vulnerability of the region is further worsened by the fact that the climate is already too hot as it is tropical in nature.

With reference to Buea, there is growing interest on the likely impacts of climate change on agriculture, economic growth and sustainable development.

This is because the region has been experiencing increased drought in recent times due to increased temperature and reduced rainfall. Incidences of climate change include changes in soil moisture, soil quality, crop resilience, timing/length of growing seasons, yield of crops and animals, atmospheric temperatures, weed insurgence, flooding, unprecedented droughts, sea level rises and many more (Ozor and Nnaji, 2011).

This adversely affects agricultural activities which are the mainstay of most African economies. The situation is made worst due to factors such as widespread poverty, over dependence on rain fed agriculture, inequitable land distribution, limited access to capital and technology, inadequate public infrastructure such as roads, long term weather forecasts and inadequate research and extension (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 1998).

Agriculture is the backbone of Cameroon’s economy employing more than 70% of its population producing both export and food crops.

Agricultural activities have over the years been affected by oscillations in the local climatic elements especially rainfall and temperature with severe impacts on both plantation and peasant agriculture (Kimengsi & Muluh, 2013; Kimengsi & Tosam2013).

Market gardening which involve the cultivation of vegetables and fruits are known as protective food as they supply essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals to the human body and are the best resource for overcoming micronutrient deficiencies.

The worldwide production of vegetables has doubled over the past quarter century and the value of global trade in vegetables now exceeds that of cereals.

Vegetables are generally sensitive to environmental extremes, and thus high temperatures and limited soil moisture are the major causes of low yields as they greatly affect several physiological and biochemical processes like reduced photo synthetic activity, altered metabolism and enzymatic activity, thermal injury to the tissues, reduced pollination and fruit set which will be further magnified by climate change.

The consequence of the climate change has badly affected the production of market gardening crops. Under changing climatic situations crop failures, shortage of yields, reduction in quality and increasing pest and disease problems are common and they render the cultivation of vegetable unprofitable.

This ultimately questions the availability of nutrient source in human diet.  Apart from its direct effect on vegetable production, climate change affects water storage and availability of water for irrigation. Since availability of water is limited, drought will become the major stress factor to vegetable production, further stressing farming systems (Verchot et al., 2007).

Climate change can also increase the potential for soil erosion (Kosmas et al., 1997) and increased yield variability (Torriani et al., 2007). These changes are most likely to lower agricultural productivity (Moriondo et al., 2011) and thereby have a negative impact on food security and global sustainability (Lal et al., 2011).

In the absence of appropriate adaptation strategies to climate change and climate variability, impacts on agriculture will become more apparent (Kurukulasuriya & Rosenthal, 2013).

Adapting to climate change entails taking the right measures to reduce the negative effects of climate change (or exploit the positive ones) by making the appropriate adjustments and changes.

Adaptation refers to responses by individuals, groups and governments to actual or expected changes in climatic conditions or their effects.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007) defines adaptation as adjustments in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities. It also refers to actions that people, countries, and societies take to adjust to climate change that has occurred.

This research mainly focuses on adaptation in the agricultural sector. Hence adaptation in this research is defined as farmers’ actual or intended modifications in agricultural and social systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli and their effects or impacts, which reduce harms or take advantage of new opportunities as a result of climate change.

Many proven agricultural practices and policies can reduce climate change impacts without compromising food production (Scholes et al., 2014).

Common adaptation measures in the agricultural sector include technological (e.g. introduction of drought varieties), managerial (e.g. new farming methods) institutional and policy aspects (e.g. new regulations).

However, under possible increases of such stresses, most of these strategies are likely to be insufficient to adapt to climate variability and change, given the problems of endemic poverty, poor institutional arrangement, poor access to information and growing health burdens (IPCC, 2007). T

his study therefore seeks to understand rural farmers’ knowledge of climate change and climate variability and their adaptation strategies, as well as the limitations encountered in the adaptation processes.

1.2 Problem Statement

Climate change is at the centre stage of many development issues today in the world. Despite having a direct effect on rainfed vegetable cultivation, climate change affects water storage and availability of water for irrigation.

Since availability of water is limited, drought has become the major stress factor to vegetable production, further stressing farming systems (Verchot et al., 2007).

Agriculture is considered a major booster for the Cameroon’s economy but, her agriculture, just like in other SSA countries, is predominantly rain-fed and climate-sensitive.

Climate variability manifested through fluctuations in rainfall and temperature is today complex. As such, farmers in the midst of such shocks and stresses, design better adaptation practices to reduce the effects on their crops for better yields, good income and a resultant better livelihood.

In addition to the physiological and biochemical changes, climate change influences the pest and disease incidence, host-pathogen interactions, distribution and ecology of insects, time of appearance, migration to new places and their overwintering capacity.

Development of plant diseases depends largely on environment prevailing around the host and pathogen, and a change in the constituents may influence host susceptibility and consequently host-parasite relationship (Khan, 2012).

The consequence of the climate change has badly affected the production of market gardening crops. Under changing climatic situations crop failures, shortage of yields, reduction in quality and increasing pest and disease problems are common and they render the cultivation of vegetable unprofitable.

The slopes of Mount Cameroon are noted for market gardening. Though this activity is considered as an ever-reliable income-source activity to farmers, it is however highly exposed to the adverse effects of climate variability and change.

Most adaptation options are not geared to meet farmers’ needs and do not in any way consider farmers’ views and knowledge about climate change and a consideration of the problems that hinder them from adopting particular adaptation options thereby affecting the effectiveness.

There exists a dearth in the literature in the area in particular on the resilience of market gardening to climate change. Most especially, no work has been done to investigate agricultural resilience within the area.

These issues if not considered will likely impact farmers’ performance. This will affect the food security and livelihoods of many in the area. In line with these issues raised, this work, therefore, seeks to investigate the following problems.

1.3 Research Questions

1.3.1 Main Question

How effective are the adaptation methods of market gardening system to climate change in Buea?

1.3.2    Specific Research Questions

1. What are the temperature indices and perceived impacts on market gardening in Buea?
2. What is the knowledge and perceptions of farmers on the impacts of climate change on market gardening?
3. What are the adaptation strategies farmers have put in place to adapt to climate change?
4. What are the limitations faced in adapting to climate change?

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