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The study examined the socioeconomic factors affecting crop farmers’ adaptation to climate change in Abuja, F.C.T, Nigeria by describing the socio-economic characteristics of farmers in the study area, determining their perception of the climate change phenomenon, identifying the climate change adaptation measures adopted as well as examining the socio-economic factors influencing the choice of the adaptation measure used by the farmers. The study used primary data elicited from the farmers with the use of questionnaire. A total of one hundred and twenty crop farmers were selected randomly from the six area councils namely, Abaji, Abuja municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali in the Federal Capital Territory (F.C.T.). Proportionate and random sampling techniques were used to select the respondents to ensure representativeness and to reduce bias. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multinomial logit regression analysis. Results indicated that the average farm size was 1.5 ha, an indication that the study covered small scale family managed farm units. The average years of schooling, age of the farmers and years of experience were 7.1, 42 and 17 respectively, suggesting that the farmers have some basic literacy, were relatively youthful and energetic and have some experience in arable crop production. Over 90% of the respondents perceived long term change in temperature and rainfall pattern in the study area. The common adaptation options for climate change used by farmers were portfolio diversification (33.30%) while 20.83% of the farmers surveyed did not use any adaptation measure to mitigate climate change. Results of the multinomial logit model revealed that farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics such as age, extension education and years of formal education significantly affected the probability of uptake of adaptation measures to counteract the negative effects of climate change. The study recommends increased formal and informal institutional support such as farm advisory services and education in promoting the use of adaptation options to reduce the negative effects of climate change. This is with a view to increasing farmers’ ability to cope and the evolution of appropriate risk reduction production strategies in response to perceived climate change to improve their well-being.

Key words: Climate change, adaptation, risk reduction, mitigate.

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Citation: Tanko L, Muhsinat BSY (2014). Arable crop farmers’ adaptation to climate change in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. J. Agric. Crop Res. 2(8): 152-159.