THE ROLE OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON FOOD SECURITY IN OVIA NORTH-EAST LGA, EDO STATE

ABSTRACT

This study examined the role of climate change on Food Security in Ovia North-East LGA, Edo State. Three research questions were raised and answered to guide the study. The study made use of descriptive survey research design which involves collecting information from a target population. The population of the study comprises of the residents in Egor Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria. A sample of 100 residents were used for the study with the proportional sampling technique employed in selecting the respondents for the study. A research instrument was validated by the researcher’s supervisor and two other experts in the Department of Health, Safety, and Environmental Education. The reliability of the instrument was established using the split-half method of reliability which yielded a Coefficient of 0.826.. The findings revealed that that changes in weather patterns affect the ability to cultivate farmlands and that changes in weather patterns affects food security. It was also revealed the that climate change has specific effects on food security in Ovia North East LGA. This effects includes; difficulty to acquire enough food, less production of food products that leads to increase in prices of food stuffs, the high level of livestock death which increases the prices of these produce in the market, soil erosion during excessive rainy seasons which affects the cultivation and growth of crops and destruction of crops due to excessive changes in weather pattern. It was recommended that; the government through the federal ministry of should ensure that there are provisions for health centers in every wards to enable mothers utilize primary health care services effectively, the government should further equip the health care centers and other facilities available to accommodate every individual and cater for their needs effectively, the cost of healthcare for women attending antenatal clinics should be subsidized by the state government in order to enable these women obtain and access this care effectively and campaigns to reinforce the importance of primary health care services for women attending antenatal clinics should be provided by policy makers and Non-Governmental organizations to constantly provide awareness on the importance of antenatal clinics.