Climate Variability Impact and Adaptation: The Experience of Maize Farmers in Bui Division, Northwest Cameroon

Abstract

This study examines the impact of climate variability on maize (Zea mays) production in Bui Division and adaptation mechanisms employed by maize famers. The guiding premise is that climate variability has created unusual environmental conditions, partly responsible for the drop in the yields of maize, in Bui, where famers adaptation options remain inefficient. A mixed approach was used in generating data from both primary and secondary sources. Questionnaires were administered to 180 purposively selected maize farmers with at least 20years of experience in maize cultivation and interviews carried with 24key informants. Secondary data was collected from the divisional office in charge of agricultural statistics and surveys for Bui. Data was analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Results revealed that annual rainfall witnessed a slight decrease in amount between 1991 and 2010, erratic events, frequent dry spells, decrease in rainy days and fluctuations in the onset and termination of the rainy season, while temperature witnessed a moderate rising trend. These varying trends in temperature and rainfall across Bui were observed to have partly contributed to an average decrease of 200kg/ha in maize yields between 2000 and 2010. The strategies adopted by farmers to face the negative effect of varying climatic elements proved inefficient. For proper adaptation, government should develop efficient meteorological systems through which information on weather predictions will be disseminated to farmers, provide agricultural loans and build farmers’ capacity on the best adaptation options, with focus on youths, known to have the defining attributes when it comes to modern agriculture.