Access and application of climate instruments in the Nigerian South West Zonal Research Extension Farmers Input Linkage System (Refils)

Abstract

The study assessed the access and use of climate recording facilities by the stakeholders in the Research Extension Farmers Input Linkage System (REFILS) in South West agro-ecological zone of Nigeria. Respondents for the study comprised participants in the REFILS workshop (from research institutes, colleges and faculties of griculture, Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs), National Food Reserve Agency/Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources (NFRA/FMAWR), input agencies, NGOs and farmers). A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 74 randomly selected participants out of about 250 participants present in the workshop. All the respondents (100%) believed climate change was real and not a myth and that climate records were relevant to their respective functions. Most of the research institutes and the ADPs had access to some weather/climate recordingfacilities. Some of the challenges to access and effective usage of instrument/facilities included poor funding, use of obsolete equipment and poor application. ANOVA test showed significant difference in respondents’ of institution categories (research, extension and others) with respect to access (F=8.611; p=0.000) and usage (F=19.048, p=0.000) of climate instruments. The study recommends that all REFILS stakeholders should acquire relevant climate instrument/facilities for their use or source data where available as safeguard against adverse effect of weather or climate change situations.