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© 2017 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

PERCEPTION OF CASSAVA FARMERS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON CASSAVA 
PRODUCTION IN IDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OYO STATE, NIGERIA.   

 

 

Oyewo, I. O1+ 
Adepoju, A.O2 
Oyewo, E.O3 
Adigun, M.O4 

 
 
 
 
 
 

1,3,4Federal College of Forestry (FRIN) Jericho Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria 
2Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Jericho Ibadan Nigeria 
 

 
(+ Corresponding author) 

 ABSTRACT 
 
Article History 
Received: 20 April 2017 
Revised: 8 May 2017 
Accepted: 30 May 2017 
Published: 13 June 2017 
 
 
 

Keywords 
Perception 
Climate Change 
Awareness 
Cassava 
Production 
Oyo State. 
Nigeria 

 
The study examined the perception of farmers on the change in climate condition on 
cassava production in Ido Local Government area of Oyo State. Data were collected 
through the use of structured questionnaire which were administered to 76 
respondents. Descriptive and multiple regression analysis were used to analyse the 
result of this study. Results showed that 85.8% of the respondents are male and 14.7% 
were female, 29.2% were between 31-40years, 70.7% of the respondents received 
information on climate change through neighbours and friends, 100% of the 
respondents relied on rainfall as a source of water to the farm, 92% made use of manual 
planting method, while 61.3% of the respondents perceived that climate change does 
not have absolute effect on cassava production, also majority 50.7% agreed that 
extension worker do not enhance productivity, major sources of climate change 
awareness are through radio and television. Regression result showed that labour used 
was negative and statistically significant at 1%, extension agents visit has a negative 
coefficient and significant at 5% while source of farm land and farm size has a positive 
relationship to cassava output in the study. Therefore, extension agent visit or contact 
should be improved in order to enhance or assist the farmer on how to militate against 
climatic change and also to help in the adoption of new technology by the farmers in 
the study area. 
 

Contribution/Originality: This study documents that the cassava farmers labour used could be capital 

intensive since majority of them used hired labour also decision to have a regular or consistence contact with 

extension agent could enhance the farmers to acquire basic training, awareness and knowledge intervention in 

climate change in the study. 

 

1. INTRODUCTION 

Cassava (Manihot esculenta ) is a root crop cultivated and consumed as a staple food in most developing world 

FAO [1]. According to Lancaster, et al. [2] cassava leaves may be consumed as a vegetable, or cooked as a soup 

ingredient or dried and fed to livestock as a protein feed supplement, the stem is used for plant propagation and 

grafting while the roots are typically processed to remove naturally occurring toxins and provide storable products 

for human and industrial consumption. As a food crop, cassava fits well with farming patterns of the small holder 

Current Research in Agricultural Sciences 
2017 Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 61-67 
ISSN(e): 2312-6418 
ISSN(p): 2313-3716 
DOI: 10.18488/journal.68.2017.43.61.67 
© 2017 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 

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farmers in Nigeria, because it gives some yield of carbohydrates and is available all year round farming season, it is 

more tolerant to low soil fertility and more resistant to drought, pests and diseases compared to other crops. 

Cassava is very tolerant and has the ability to grow on marginal land where other food crops cannot grow well, but 

for its highly yield and productivity moderate climatic condition [3]. Cassava is said to be the least affected crop 

when compared with other staples such as maize, sorghum and millets [4].  

Food crop farmers in Oyo State Nigeria provide the bulk of arable crops that are consumed locally and 

exported as foreign exchange to other countries. The local farmers are experiencing climate change even though 

they have not considered its deeper effects; this is evidenced in the late arrival of rain, the drying-up of stream and 

Small Rivers that usually flows all year round [5]. Climate change is a long – term change in the statistical 

distribution of weather pattern over a periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It may be a 

change in the average weather conditions or a change in the distribution of weather events, for example, greater or 

fewer extreme weather events. Climate change may be limited to a specific region or may occur across the whole 

earth [6]. In recent usage, especially in the context of environment policy, climate change usually refers to changes 

in modern climate. According to Awosika, et al. [7] it may also be qualified as anthropogenic climate change, more 

generally known as global warming or anthropogenic global warming (AGM). Recent evidence indicates that the 

world has already warmed by 0.80C since the pre-industrial era [8] 

Over the years, our rural farmers depend on indigenous or local knowledge for improved farming system 

(Animal husbandry). Such knowledge (indigenous or local knowledge) refers to skill and experience gained through 

oral tradition and practice over many generations [9]. Acquisition of such primitive skills by our rural farmers has 

not help to improve agricultural yield. Large percentages of the populations of developing countries depend upon 

agriculture for their livelihoods. Climate change is already affecting agriculture in these countries negatively and 

this situation is likely to worsen [10]. The poor farmers who depend on agriculture for sustenance and livelihoods 

in Nigeria are currently faced with the problem of changing climatic conditions. The estimate for Africa is that 25-

42% of species habitat could be lost, affecting both food and non food crops [11]. All that is witnessed in our rural 

agricultural system range from poor farm yield, emergence of new crop and animal diseases. But in recent times, the 

age- long vibrant African agricultural sector has come under threat from the very factors which have always 

supported it. One of the most important of these factors is water, of which excess and shortage in alternate seasons 

is negatively weighing on agricultural productivity throughout the tropical world. With the foregoing, can we say 

these claims are really true of climatic changes? This study therefore, provides answers to the following research 

objectives which are to: 

Examine the socio-economic characteristics of cassava farmer in the study area. 

Examine the available and sources of information on climatic condition on cassava farmer. 

Examine the quantitative impact of climate condition on cassava production. 

Examine the problem encountered by the farmers on cassava production   

 

2. METHODOLOGY 

The study was carried out at Ido Local Government which is one of the rural areas in Oyo State. It lies between 

Latitude 6.050N and Longitude 3.020E. It is bounded to the north by Ibadan Local Government and partially by 

Oyo Local Government. To the East by Ibarapa South West and Akinyele Local Government respectively and to 

the West by Oluyole Local Government to the South of Ogun State. 

Ido Local Government area of Oyo State occupies a total land mass 986 km square and the population of 

103,261 people [12]. The Local Government headquarter is at Ido town and has eleven major prominent villages 

under its jurisdiction namely Apata, Sango, Apete, Eleyele, Sonso, Idi – oro, Atere, Ayegun, Omi – Adio, Ijokodo, 

Bode – igbo and Akufo. The season in this area is distinct and the climatic distribution allows the practice of both 

dry season and rain fed farming. Rainfall of the area is averagely 1520 mm per annum. Therefore crop majorly grow 



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in this area include fruit, (Citrus spp), maize, cassava, plantain and vegetable at various time of the year. The 

population comprises of both male and female cassava farmers in the study area, random sample techniques was 

adopted for the study where 80 respondents was randomly selected from four villages in the local government area.  

 

 3. DATA ANALYSIS  

The data for this study was collected through a well structured questionnaire and interview schedule on 

cassava farmers. The total numbers of questionnaire were divided into four, where twenty respondents were 

randomly selected from four villages which are Akufo, Aniseere, Omi –Adio and Araromi village. Descriptive 

statistics such as frequency table, percentage was used to analyse the socio economic characteristics of respondents, 

while multiple regression analysis was use to determine the responsiveness of cassava productivity to the 

explanatory variables. 

Regression model in linear form 

CZ = (bo + X1 + X2 + X3 ...................................... X8 + u), where; 

CZ = Cassava output 

X1 = Education 

X2 = Social organization 

X3 = Source of farm land 

X4 = Extension agent visit 

X5 = Rainfall before planting  

X6 = Labour used 

X7 = Size of farm land 

X8 = Age 

bo = Constant 

u = Error term 

 

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

The table 1 on socio economic characteristics of the farmers showed that 29.2% of the respondents were 

between the ages of 31-40 years while 24.0% were between the ages of 41-50 years, this shows that majority of the 

farmers were still within their active working age and involved in the production of cassava, therefore were 

expected to be active and contribute immensely to cassava production, 85.3% were male, majority 80% had one form 

of formal education while 20% had no formal education, 54.7% had household size between 1-5 person while 6.7% 

had between 11-15 household size. 66.7% used hired labour while 33.3% used family labour, this could be due to the 

tedious activities involved in cassava production, 43.9% source their credit through contributions while 1.3% 

through governments, 64.0% source their farmland through inheritance while 5.3% leased and purchase their farm 

land also majority 66.7% used between 1-5 hectares of farm size while 13.3% used above 11 hectares of farm size, 

this shows that majority of the farmers are operating a small scale farming system in the study area. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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Table-1. Socio Economic Characteristics of the Respondents 

Variable Frequency Percentage 

Age (years)   

21 – 30  11 14.6 
31 – 40  22 29.2 

41 – 50  19 24.0 
51 – 60 9 11.9 
61 – 70 7 9.3 
71 and above 7 9.2 

Gender   

Male 64 85.3  
Female 11 14.7 

Educational level   

No formal education 15 20.0 
Adult education 13 17.3 
Primary 14 18.7 

Secondary 16 21.3 
Tertiary  17 22.7 

Household size   

1 – 5  41 54.7 
6 – 10  29 38.6 
11 – 15  5 6.7 

Labour used   

Family labour 25 33.3 
Hired labour 50 66.7 

Years of farming   

0 – 5  23 30.6 
6 – 10  17 22.6 
11 – 15  5 6.6 
16 – 20  6 8.0 
21 and above  25 31.8 

Source of credit   

Friend 7 9.3 
Government 1 1.3 
Bank 7 9.3 
Loan 23 30.7 

Contribution 37 49.3 

Source of farmland   

Rent  9 12.0 
Inherited 48 64.0 
Gift 8 10.7 
Leased 4 5.3 
Borrowed 2 2.7 
Purchased 4 5.3 

Farm size (hectare)   

1 – 5  50 66.7 
6 – 10  15 20.0 

11 and above 10 13.3 

Total 75 100.0 

                        Source: Field survey, 2014 

 

Table 2 showed the Sources of information on climate change by the respondent it was revealed that 37.4% of 

the farmers frequently source information through the use of radio while 41.3% less frequently and 13.3% not at all, 

21.3% frequently source information through television while 52.0% less frequently while 17.3% do not have access 

to television, 16.0% frequently source their information through internet while 50.7% of the respondent could not 

have access to internet source while 9.3% of the respondent are more frequently. More than half (53.5%) of the 

respondents could not have access to information through extension workers and research institutions respectively 



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while 8.0% and 18.7% of the respondents had more frequent contact to extension worker and research officers 

respectively in the study area. 

 

Table-2. Respondents Sources of Information on Climate Change in the Study 

VARIABLE      FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE 

RADIO   

Not at all  10 13.3 

Less frequently  31 41.3 
Frequently 28 37.4 

More frequently  6 8.0 
TELEVISION    

Not at all  13 17.3 
Less frequently  39 52.0 

Frequently  16 21.3 
More frequently  7 9.4 

INTERNET    

Not at all  38 50.7 

Less frequently  18 24.0 
frequently 12 16.0 

More frequently 7 9.3 
EXTENSION WORKER    

Not at all  40 53.3 
Less frequently  21 28.0 

Frequently  8 10.7 
More frequently  6 8.0 

RESEARCH INSTITUTION    

Not at all  40 53.3 

Less frequently  13 17.3 
Frequently 8 10.7 

More frequently  14 18.7 
TOTAL  75 100.0 

                             Source: Field Survey, 2014 

 

Table-3. Sources of Awareness of Climate Change in the study area 

VARIABLE FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE 

PUBLIC AWARENESS   

AND CAMPAIGN   

Not at all  26 34.7 
Less frequently  33 44.0 
Frequently  11 14.7 
More frequently  5 6.6 

TALK SHOW AND SEMINAR    

Not at all  41 54.7 
Less frequently  19 25.3 
Frequently 13 17.3 

More frequently  2 2.7 

PRINT MEDIA    

Not at all  35 46.7 
Less frequently  32 42.7 
Frequently  4 5.3 
More frequently  4 5.3 

NEIGHBOUR / FRIEND   

Not at all  7 9.3 
Less frequently  53 70.7 
Frequently 9 12.0 
More frequently  6 8.0 

TOTAL 75 100.0 

                    Source: Field Survey, 2014 

 



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Table 3: Shows that 44.0 % of the respondents are less frequently aware of climate change through public 

awareness and campaign while 6.6% of the respondents are more frequently aware of climatic change through P/A 

and C. It shows that 54.7% of the respondents do not have access to information through talk show and seminar 

while only 2.7% of the farmers are more frequently has access to information on climatic change through talk show 

and seminar. 46.7% of the respondents are not aware of climate change trough print media while only 5.3% of the 

respondent could not source information about climate change through neighborhood and friend. 

 

Table-4. Farmers’ perception of climate change on cassava farming 

Variable   

PERCEIVED CLIMATIC CHANGE   
Yes  35 46.7 
No 40 53.3 

CLIMATE CHANGE CAUSES LOSS   
Yes  29 38.7 
No  46 61.3 

TOTAL 75 100.0 

EFFECT ON PLANTING PERIOD   
Yes 32 42.7 
No 43 57.3 
CLIMATIC EFFECT ON CASSAVA   
Yes 27 36.0 
No  48 64.0 

REDUCED DUE TO CLIMATIC CHANGE   
Yes 37 49.3 
No 38 50.7 

TOTAL 75 100.0 

                         Source: Field Survey, 2014 

 

Table 4 revealed that 53.3% of the respondent did not perceive any climate change while 46.7% of the 

respondent`s perceived climate changes, 61.3% of the respondent perceived that climate change did not cause any 

severe loss on the cassava while 38.7% perceived that climate change causes loss to the cassava production. Also, 

shows that 57.3% perceived that climate change does not affect the planting period in cassava production while 

42.7% perceived that climate change has effect on the period of cassava, 50.7% of the farmers perceived that quality 

of cassava produce reduces due to climatic change while 49.3% perceived that there is no reduction in the quality of 

cassava produced in the study area. It could be deduced that there is a little slight effect on the quality of cassava 

production due to climatic change during the farming season in the study area. 

 

Table-5. Regression Analysis On the effect of Climate Change on Cassava production 

Variables Coefficient Standard error 

bo =  Constant 134.539 47.614 
X1 = Years of education 1.171     0.787 
X2 = Social organisation -18.147 14.146 
X3 = Source of farmland 10.405** 4.113 
X4 = Extension agent visit -26.709** 11.183 
X5 = Rainfall before planting   -4.458 5.674 
X6 = Labour used -50.493*** 14.214 
X7 = Size of farmland 3.593***  0.016 
X8 = Age  0.453 0.408 

                      Note: **, and*** = Significant of 5% and 1% level 

 



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The regression analysis revealed that labour used and size of farmland used were statistically significant at 1% 

level but coefficient of labour used assume a negative sign which shows that labour used could be reduced in other 

to enhance productivity also source of land acquisition and contact or visit by the extension agent were statistically 

significant at 5% level, but the coefficient of extension contact was negatively signed, this could brought about a 

reduction in level of cassava output, however, this may be as a result of the number of times the farmers had contact 

with the extension agent. Therefore extension visit or contact should be improved by the government agent in 

other to enhance or assist the farmer on how to militate against climatic change in the study and also to help in the 

adoption of new technology by the farmers, though this did not support the apriori expectation.    

 

Funding: This study received no specific financial support. 
Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. 

Contributors/Acknowledgement: All authors contributed equally to the conception and design of the study. 

 

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https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=Traditional%20cassava-based%20products:%20Survey%20of%20processing%20techniques
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