CLIMATE CHANGE VARIABILITY AND ASSOCIATED HEALTH EFFECTS AMONG FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

FOLASADE OLUREMI AMINU; LADAPO H L; AKHIGHE-AHONKHAI E C; DAVID M O

doi:10.22159/ijags.2021.v9i4.42249

Authors

FOLASADE OLUREMI AMINU Department of Agricultural Technology, School of Technology, Yaba College of Technology, Epe Campus, Lagos State, Nigeria.
LADAPO H L Department of Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Yaba College of Technology, Epe Campus, Lagos State, Nigeria.
AKHIGHE-AHONKHAI E C Department of Agricultural Technology, School of Technology, Yaba College of Technology, Epe Campus, Lagos State, Nigeria.
DAVID M O Department of Agricultural Technology, School of Technology, Yaba College of Technology, Epe Campus, Lagos State, Nigeria.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22159/ijags.2021.v9i4.42249

Keywords:

Climate change, Health, Farming households, Variability

Abstract

Objectives: The study examined climate change variability and associated health effects among farming households in Ondo State, Nigeria. It specifically described the socioeconomic characteristics of the farming households, identified the health issues experienced as a result of climate change, and analyzed the determinants of health effect of climate change and other socioeconomic variables among farming households in the study area.

Methods: One hundred and twenty respondents selected through multistage sampling technique were used for the study. Data were collected with the aid of questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and logit regression model.

Results: Majority (92.9%) of the respondents were male, married (82.1%) with a mean household size of six people and a mean age of 49 years. Headache (95.5%), dizziness (95%), malaria (92%), body weakness (91.1%), cough (81.3%), typhoid fever (67.9%), skin rashes (58%), and rheumatic pain (48.2%) were the major health problems experienced by the farming households as a result of climate change in the study area. The significant variables determining the health effects of climate change among farming households in the study area were temperature (p<0.01), relative humidity (p<0.01), rainfall (p<0.01), sunshine (p<0.01), pressure (p<0.10), sex (p<0.10), marital status (p<0.01), household size (p<0.10), farming experience (p<0.01), and income (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The health and well-being of the farming households were compromised by the vagaries in climatic condition in the study area. Hence, agricultural extension workers should be empowered to accommodate health education and preparedness measures that take into account, differences in the level of exposure, perceptivity, and acclimation capacity of different households may help to alleviate health effects of climate change on farming households in the study area.

References

Agwu NM, Nwachukwu IN, Agwu IR. Analysis of export performance of pineapple from Nigeria: 1999-2006. Niger Agric J 2010;4:144-9.

Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin; 2018;7(4):1.

Adekola AA, Jubril AT. Effect of Climate Change on Health and Livestock Production in Nigeria: A Call to Action. Košice, Slovakia: The Impact of Global Change on the Environment, Human and Animal Health, Proceedings of International Scientific Conference; 2017.

World Health Organization. Climate Change and Health United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018.

Adebayo AA, Onu JJ, Adebayo EF, Anyanwu SO. Farmers’ awareness, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in Adamawa state, Nigeria. Br J Arts Soc Sci 2012;9:104-15.

Bi P, Parton KA. Effect of climate change on australian rural and remote regions: What do we know and what do we need to know? Aust J Rural Health 2008;16:2-4.

Berry HL, Hogan A, Owen J, Rickwood D, Fragar L. Climate change and farmers’ mental health: Risks and responses. Asia Pac J Public Health 2011;23:119S-32S.

Portier C, Tart KT, Carter S, Dilworth C, Grambsch A, Gohlke J, et al. A human health perspective on climate change: A report outlining research needs on the human health effects of climate change. Environ Health Perspect 2010;1-80.

World Health Organization. Climate and Health Country Profile: Nigeria. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2015.

Odjugo P. General overview of climate change impacts in Nigeria. J Hum Ecol 2010;12:46-76.

Tawari-Fufeyin P, Paul M, Godleads AO. Some aspects of a historic flooding in Nigeria and its effects on some Niger-delta communities. Am J Water Resour 2015;3:7-16.

Ume SI, Ezeano CI, Chukwuigwe O, Gbughemobi BO. Effect of climate change on pig production and choice of adaptation strategies by farmers in Southeast, Nigeria. Int J Acad Res Dev 2018;3:858-68.

Okoye FU. Gender and Resource Use Efficiency in Cocoyam Production in Anambra State. Nsukka: An M.sc Dissertation Faculty of Agriculture, Agricultural Economics University of Nigeria.

Ozor N. Understanding Climate Change. Implications for Nigerian Agriculture, Policy and Extension. Paper Presented at the National Conference on Climate Change and the Nigeria Environment. Nsukka: Organized by the Department of Geography, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 29th June-2nd July.

Hawks C, Ruel MT. Understanding the Links between Agriculture and Health. A Paper Published by 2020 Vision for Good Agriculture and Environment. International Food Policy Research Institute; 2006. Available from: http://www.ci.refer.org/psa/d4.ht.http://www.kwenu.com.

Munongo S, Chitungo KS. The impact of farmers’ health and nutritional status on agricultural technical efficiency: Evidence from Masvingo rural communities. J Agric Sustain 2013;3:1-15.

Hajat S, Vardoulakis S, Heaviside C, Eggen, B. Climate change effects on human health: projections of temperature-related mortality for the UK during the 2020s, 2050s and 2080s. J Epidemiol Community Health 2014;68:641-8.

Stanke C, Murray V, Amlot R, Nurse J, Williams R. The effects of flooding on mental health: Outcomes and recommendations from a review of the literatures. PLoS Curr 2012;4:e4f9f1fa9c3cae.

Paavola J. Health impacts of climate change and health and social inequalities in the UK. Environment Health 2017;16 Suppl 1:113.