Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation, and the Attainment of Food Security in the Sudano-Sahelian Belt of Nigeria

Abstract

Climate change and rainfall variability are evident in rainfall amount and the hydrologic growing season across the zone located between longitudes 3° and 15° east of the Greenwich meridian and latitudes 10° and 14° north of the Equator. These changes have continued to escalate the vulnerability of people’s livelihood, as extreme weather conditions lead to reduction in agricultural yields which subsequently aggravate food insecurity. There is a general understanding of climate change and variability across the belt as indicated by the varying adaptation practices by individuals and communities to enable them to cope with the challenges of changing climate. Generally, in Nigeria, there are numerous crucial policies and programs aimed at addressing issues related to climate change adaptation and agricultural sustainability. However, the major concern is the level of implementation and its role in promoting, developing, and instituting effective adaptation strategies and practices that will enhance resilience of the vulnerable communities. Consequently, bottom-up approaches should be developed and promoted to identify and document existing adaptation practices, alongside with assessing these adaptation practices for scaling up potential cost-effective practices for enhanced climate change adaptation, attainment of food security, and resilience.