Omirin Tope Isaac, Thomas Kehinde Adesina and Omirin Oluwakemi Itunu
Keywords: Climate variability, typologies of climate information, smallholders, inclination to uptake.
Abstract: Climate variability poses a serious stress on maize production. Yet, appropriate and timely climate information can assist in helping farmers to prepare, respond to climate-related risks as well as reduce negative impacts on production. Consequently, this study investigated climate variability and typologies of information smallholder maize farmers are inclined to uptake in Oyo State, Nigeria. A survey was used to elicit data from 107 farmers. Descriptive and inferential analyses of the elicited data showed that most respondents cultivated a farm size of 2.3±2.9 hectares, owned their crop farmland (71.0%), with 20.6±9.9 years of experience in maize farming. Climate variation was mostly felt in terms of erratic rainfall (2.7±0.5) and increased flooding/rainfall (2.6±0.6). Agro-input dealers (71.9%), farmers’ organisations (69.1%) and extension services (61.7%) were key institutional elements enabling access to climate information. There was greater inclination to uptake agro-meteorological information (?????=1.38) relative to other CI types. Farm size, land ownership, onset of rainy season, relative humidity, temperature and wind/storms determined the decision to uptake all types of climate information. Making climate information available to smallholders through appropriate institutional elements would not only place them in a vantage position in determining the agricultural activities to undertake in preparation for and during
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