Socio-cultural Drivers of Adaptations and Vulnerability to Climate Change: Lessons from Crop Farmers in Ondo State, Nigeria

This study investigated the socio-cultural determinants of climate change adaptation and vulnerability among crop farmers in Ondo State, South-western Nigeria. Using a multi-stage sampling approach and the Delphi method, 150 respondents were selected from the three Senatorial Zones. Primary data were sourced with the aid of a survey and oral interviews. The collected data were analyzed using the vulnerability index, Ordinal logistic regression, and Heckman probit regression. The findings revealed that the socio-cultural characteristics of respondents contributed to their vulnerability to climate change, as indicated by an average livelihood vulnerability index (LVI) of 0.33. Notably, factors such as water availability and adaptation practices exhibited higher vulnerability indices of 0.49 and 0.42, respectively. The overall LVI and LVI-IPCC averages were 0.35 and 0.02, respectively, highlighting the existence of vulnerability among farming households. The results of ordinal logistic regression revealed that age, marital status, education level, and income from agriculture were statistically significant factors determining the level of vulnerability to climate change in the study area. Consequently, the results of the Heckman two-step regression model revealed that age, marital status, household size, education, religion, belief, family structure, and community teamwork were the significant factors affecting the adaptation and vulnerability to climate change in the area. Policy should be geared towards improving the socio-cultural factors for sustainable livelihoods with an income diversification strategy by the government for crop farmers in order to cushion the effects of low income realized from farming activities in the area.