Perceived effects of climate change on tomato production in selected local government areas of Ondo state, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the perceived effects of climate change on tomato production in selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Ondo State, Nigeria. A total of 126 tomato farmers were randomly sampled from six communities. Data were garnered using an interview schedule and were analysed using frequency, percentage, mean, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Tomato farmers were aged 39.56±8.33 years, males (87.3%), married (54.8%), formally educated (82.6%), and had a household size of 6.02±2.27 persons. Farming experience was 5.46±3.53 years, farm size was 4.44±3.28 acres, 54.0% cultivated local varieties, 46.0% cultivated improved varieties, and 61.1% had access to credit. The average quantity of tomatoes sold in 2022 was 23,860.56±8,812.12 kg, and the average income from tomato sales was ?6,445,269.84±2,393,836.26. Major information sources were radio (x ?=1.54), internet (x ?=1.54), television (x ?=1.41), and relations/family (x ?=1.39). Farmers' knowledge of deforestation (x ?=1.56), pesticide use (x ?=1.32), soil erosion (x ?=1.31), fertiliser use (x ?=1.25), greenhouse gas emissions (x ?=1.25), and temperature fluctuations (x ?=1.21) as the major causes and effects of climate change was highest. Severe climate change effects include temperature fluctuations (x ?=1.56), changes in soil fertility (x ?=1.26), decreased fruit quality (x ?=1.18), and changes in rainfall patterns (x ?=1.15). There was a significant relationship between the quantity of tomatoes lost (r=0.194, p=0.030), information source (r=0.336, p=0.000), knowledge (r=0.504, p=0.000) and the perceived effects of climate change. Tomato farmers need government education programs on how to combat the various effects of climate change and improved access to climate change information.