Assessing the Impact of Climate Change on Rainfall Distribution on Cassava Yield in Coastal and Upland Areas of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the implication of rainfall variability on cassava yield in selected coastal and upland areas of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The climate change is the variation in the distribution of weather patterns (including rainfall, temperature) over an extended period of time, typically decade. Thirty years daily rainfall data were collected from Nigeria Meteorological Agency (1989 – 2018); cassava yield data were also collected from Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Agriculture Uyo (1989 – 2018). Descriptive statistics was used to determine the average annual rainfall and cassava yield. Time series analysis were used to assess the relationship between rainfall and cassava yield. The result indicated an increase in rainfall trends in all areas with Eket – r² = 0.6631, Oron - r² = 0.5329, Uyo - r² = 0.4215 and Ikot Ekpene - r² = 0.4042. The result also showed an increase in yield of cassava in Uyo and Ikot Ekpene at r² = 0.2436 and 0.4397 respectively; while its decreases in Eket and Oron at r² = 0.0611 and 0.1159 respectively. The results revealed that there is a significant increase (positive trends) in rainfall trends in all Akwa Ibom State. This suggested that a high yield of cassava may be achieved only in the upland areas of Akwa Ibom State due to continuous increase in rainfall as a result of climate change.