Climate Change Challenges for Cattle Farmers in Fundong Sub- Division, North West Region, Cameroon
Keywords:
cattle farming, climate change, VulnerabilityAbstract
This study assessed the vulnerability of cattle production to climate variability in Fundong
Subdivision, with a focus on understanding the specific climatic risks faced by cattle farmers.
To achieve this, a mixed research approach was adopted. Rainfall and temperature data from
the Fundong sub-divisional delegation for Agriculture was used to established the actual state
of climate variability in the area from 1981-2023. A total of 80 questionnaires were
successfully administered to purposively selected rearers and interviews conducted with
stakeholders in the Agro-pastoral sector. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were
employed for data analysis. Findings revealed that climate variability is high. The inter-annual
rainfall stands at 170 mm, with a declining trend. Rainfall has been on a downward trend since
2000, and the trend appears irreversible as the rainfall has been unreliable during the 2011-
2021 decade. This is associated with a decreasing average number of rainy days. In the same
light, the mean annual temperature has been increasing temperature trend in Fundong since
2001. Between 1981 and 2023, the mean temperature has increased by 7.8oC, much higher
than the global mean of 1.5oC. Rising temperatures against a backdrop dropping rainfall has
negative impacts on crop production systems and other sources of livelihoods. Farmers
perceived that their output has been decreasing as a result of climate and other production
factors. The impacts of climate variability on the Fundong rangeland are pasture degradation,
outbreak of climate related diseases, invasion by noxious plants species, reduction in the
volume of water courses, conflict between rearers and farmers over resources as well as the
modification of the agro-pastoral calendar. To reduce the effect of climate variability and
change, pastoralist should incorporate different water harvesting and irrigation technologies
with their local adaptation strategies
