INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON CROP PRODUCTION AMONG FARMERS' COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN NORTH WEST ZONE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examines the influence of climate change on crop production among farmers’ cooperative societies in North West Nigeria. Specifically, it assesses the effect of flooding on rice production and evaluates the effect of drought on maize production. The study is anchored on the Social-Ecological Systems (SES) Theory, which explains the interaction between human activities and environmental systems in shaping agricultural outcomes. A quantitative descriptive survey research design was adopted, involving a population of 552,479 cooperative members across 13,414 registered societies. A sample size of 400 respondents was selected using the Taro Yamane sampling technique, while multi-stage sampling was employed to ensure adequate representation across states, local government areas, and cooperative groups. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis via SPSS. The regression results revealed that flooding has a significant effect on rice production (R = 0.424, R² = 0.180, p = 0.000), indicating that it accounts for 18.0% of variations in rice output. Similarly, drought was found to significantly influence maize production (R = 0.369, R² = 0.136, p = 0.000), explaining 13.6% of variation in maize yield. Both findings confirm that climate-related factors significantly affect agricultural productivity among cooperative farmers. The study concludes that climate change poses serious challenges to crop production but also encourages adaptive responses and resilience-building among farmers. The study recommends climate-smart farming practices, improved crop varieties, and government support for sustainable food security.