Anthony NyongUniversity of Jos, Nigeria

UNFCCC In-Session Workshop on Impacts of, and vulnerability and Adaptation to, Climate Change.

Hotel Maritim, Bonn, Germany

18 June 2004

Adapting to Droughts Among Poor Rural Households in Semi-arid Nigeria: Influencing Factors

and Enhancing Opportunities

AcknowledgementThis report outlines some of the experiences drawn from an AIACC supported project on Assessing the Vulnerability and Adaptation of Households to droughts in the West African Sahel.Funding for AIACC (Assessment of Impacts and Adaptations to Climate Change in Multiple Regions) was provided by GEF, USAID, CIDA and USEPA. AIACC is jointly administered by START (Global SysTems for Analysis, Research and Training) and TWAS (Third World Academy of Science)

“Africa is Highly Vulnerable to Climate Change.”

IPCC 2001

IntroductionClimate is changing with far reaching impactsRecurrent drought is a major climatic problem affecting the livelihoods of the people in semi-arid northern Nigeria.Not everyone is equally vulnerable.Some have already adapted to the phenomenon, while others have not. So: Who has adapted? How have they adapted? What factors influence their capacity to

adapt?, and What enhancement opportunities exist to

further increase their adaptive capacity?

Project ContextFrom the beginning of the 20th Century, the following drought events have been recorded in Northern Nigeria: 1904-1912 1914 – 1930 1942 1950-1952 1966 – 1968 1969 – 1974 1983 – 1984 1987

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Adaptation Strategies Use of shallow wells Small-scale irrigation initiatives Planting of drought-resistant crop

varieties Nomadism (transhumance) Crop and animal diversification Income diversification Reliance on neglected local food

resources Relocation and migration

Influencing Factors (1)

Availability of Resources Financial Resources Human and Natural capital Socio-cultural capital

Appropriate Technology Water Extraction and storage Climate forecast Improved cropping systems and

varieties

Influencing Factors 2Government Policy National Drought Action Plan Nomadic Education Program Strategic Grains Reserve Program Fadama Agriculture Program National Emergency Management Agency National Agency for Poverty Eradication NEEDS

Influencing Factors (3)

Capacity Building through Establishment of Regional and National Institutions.

Presidential Implementation Committee on CDM

Attitudes and Perception of Stakeholders The “victim” syndrome Common Resource

Enhancing Opportunities for Adaptation (1)

Government Policy Setting of long term national goals Mainstreaming adaptation into national

economic policies Elimination of edge problems in

managing drought and climate change issues

Institutional change (credit facilities, pricing & market policies)

Pursue beneficial impacts of climate change

Provide for the security of Lives

Enhancing Opportunities for Adaptation (2)

Agricultural systems Develop new varieties in line with local norms

(indigenous research) Introduce appropriate technology Evolve a system of attitudinal change in

unsustainable agricultural practices Extension services on information

dissemination

Capacity Building Build on Indigenous Knowledge to develop

good practice guidance for the design of adaptation strategies

Establishment of a data bank to collate researches and information on vulnerabilities and adaptation

So?

What do the people want?

Listen to the stakeholders

As proposed by project sponsor

As specified in project request

As designed by senior analyst

As produced by the programmers

As installed at the user’s site

What the user wanted