Social Media Used by Arable Crop Farmers for Communicating Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in Imo State, Nigeria

Subtheme 7: ICTs for Documenting and Transferring Technologies for Sustainable Land Use, Water Management, Agricultural Productivity.

Abstract

The study examined Social media use by arable crop farmers for climate change adaptation communication in Imo State, Nigeria. Data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire from 285 arable randomly selected crop farmers in the study area. Results showed that arable crop farmer use social media to seek knowledge about climate change, disseminate information to friends, seek climate change adaptation strategies and post-climate change adaptation strategies to farmer groups. However, the percentage of arable crop farmers’ use of social media types was low. Multiple regressions show that sex, educational level and age influenced utilization of social media for climate change adaptation communication. Based on the findings of the study it is recommended that farmers should be encouraged to raise concern, make posts and engage in discussions on social media so as to attract and raise awareness of issues of concern among them, other stakeholders and the public. Government, International Organizations and Non-governmental Organizations should organize training on use of smart phones, social media and Information and Communication Technologies for farmers, and farmer groups.