PERCEPTION AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES OF CATFISH FARMERS TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN YENAGOA, BAYELSA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This research work examined the Perception and Adaptation Strategies of Catfish Farmers to Climate Change in

Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The objectives were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of earthen
catfish farmers, identify the awareness of catfish farmers on climate change, ascertain their coping strategies and
identify the constraints they face. A two-stage sampling technique was used to select 100 respondents who
provided data for the study through a set of structured questionnaires administered to them. Descriptive statistics
such as percentage, mean and Likert Scale rating technique were employed to analyze the data. Results of the
study showed that 75% of males were involved in the business. The majority (52%) of the respondents had less than
five years of farming experience. Additionally, the catfish industry in Yenagoa is dominated by aged people, (56%)
were full time farmers, majority (52%) had a household size of 6-10 persons and 94% of the respondents had 1-10
numbers of ponds. The study also noted that most of the respondents (94%) are aware of the impacts of climate
change and they have a reasonable knowledge of the impact and majority (61%) get their information from
personal experience. The respondent's perception on the impacts of climate change reveals that majority of them
strongly agreed on drastic change in weather condition effect and high temperature with heavy waves which
affects fish production. While in strategies to cope with impacts of climate change, majority of the farmers tend to
dig boreholes well to supply water during dry season. Majority of the farmers are also faced with quite a number of
constraints such as inadequate capital and extension services.