Abstract:
Climate change exerts a constraint on the way of life of farmers necessitating urgent actions like mitigation and adaptation to reverse negative outcomes. For many in rural communities, agriculture is not only a source of food but also an important source of income. This study aims to describe how climate change brings about low yields of crops and the socio-economic consequences of low yields as farmers are often envisaged as the most vulnerable given that their livelihoods depend on agriculture. The study was carried out in the South West region of Cameroon which is predominantly agrarian and agriculture is rain-fed. Through simple random sampling, a sample size of 680 farmers was constructed. Data were collected through questionnaire administration and observations. Findings revealed that decrease in rainfall amount and intensity, increase temperature and sunshine intensity reduce water availability for crop growth, cause withering of plants and stunted growth decreasing crop yields. Socio-economic consequences of low yields are hunger and poverty making farmers more vulnerable since their livelihoods depend on farm yields. |
