Indigenous people’s perception on climate change and adaptation strategies in Jema’a local government area of Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the way indigenous people in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State perceive
climate change and their adaptation strategies to climate change. The paper also asks indigenous people of the
impacts of climate change on their various activities and any perceive hindrance to its adaptation. A total of
225 questionnaires were administered in five settlements within the study area, although only 200 of these
questionnaires were used for the purpose of analysis. Findings revealed that indigenous people in the study
area perceived that the environment, climate in particular, has been changing over the years due to diverse
human activities. Findings also revealed that the threat of climate change is more on health, food supply,
biodiversity lost and fuelwood availability than on businesses and instigating of disaster; and it is the poor,
who depend heavily on the natural resources that are mostly affected by incidence of climate change. In
adapting to climate change indigenous people cultivate different/varieties of crops which are tolerant to climate
change and shortening of growing season as adaptation strategies. Result further revealed that lack of improve
seeds, lack of assess to water for irrigation, lack of current knowledge of modern adaptation strategies, lack of
capital, lack of awareness and knowledge of climate change scenarios are the hindering factors to the adoption
of modern techniques of combating climate changes in the area.