Analysis Of Effects Of Flood On Livelihoods And Adaptation Measures Of Smallholder Crop Farmers

Analysis Of Effects Of Flood On Livelihoods And Adaptation Measures Of Smallholder Crop Farmers

Chapiter 1

Introduction

1.2.1 Background Data

One of the biggest problems facing humanity now is global climate change. The world’s population will suffer as a result of global warming, according to the International Resource Group (2008), during the next fifty (50) years. More frequently and violently occurring weather extremes including droughts, floods, and cyclones will result in unstable living circumstances, food shortages, and forced migration. It’s unusual that temperatures are rising in this cycle. For the first time, a cycle that generally occurs as a result of natural forces is decisively altered by human intervention.

In addition to mitigation, adaptation is the second insurance method to, first, protect populations that are already vulnerable to the negative consequences of climate change and, second, to protect everyone in the future. As a result, all nations must adapt to the current climate change. In particular for developing nations, political scientists and the policy-making community have started to investigate possible effects of climate change, describing it as a stress factor that has the potential to exacerbate already existing development, security, and health issues (International Resource Group, 2008).

Divergences in wealth, security, and chances for human development may be exacerbated by inequality in one’s capacity to adapt to climate change. The developing world is suffering from extreme and more immediate burdens and negative effects of changes in the global climate, while rich countries with sufficient resources are in the process of adjusting to climate change. Research indicates that developing nations in tropical and subtropical regions would experience some of the most severe adverse effects of climate change, which will predominantly and adversely affect the world’s most vulnerable citizens (International Resource Group, 2008).

Flooding is an extraordinary water buildup. A disaster may be brought on by a natural or man-made occurrence that results in severe physical harm or devastation, fatalities, or significant environmental changes. It is a tragic incident that has the potential to endanger human life, property, and the economic and social well-being of individuals (Cherdpong and Thiengkamol, 2013). In Delta State, the coastal lowlands or flood belt are frequently more susceptible to flooding disasters. Floods have wreaked havoc in Delta State, Nigeria’s flood plain, as a result of the phenomenon of climate change. A example in point is the 2012 flood catastrophe in various regions of Nigeria, notably Delta State.

Direct and indirect effects are the two basic categories into which flood dimensions can be divided. Flooding can have a negative social impact by causing victims to lose their houses, their social standing, their children’s or wards’ schooling, or even their mental health. Loss of farm revenue, social infrastructure (schools, marketplaces, roads, and health facilities), loss of means of subsistence, and loss of farmland and crops/livestock are further direct repercussions. The strain on safe communities in the hinterland, food shortages, and a spike in food costs are only a few examples of the indirect effects of flooding. Food insecurity, poverty, psychological trauma, the loss of human capital, political discontent, and a strain on government finances are further aspects of the flood disaster’s repercussions (Cherdpong and Thiengkamol, 2013).

Disasters caused by flooding generally slow down or stop growth. It might prevent profitable investment. The inability of agricultural households to reduce flood disaster is a major problem for developing nations like Nigeria (Abaje and Giwa, 2007).

Smallholder farmers, who make up the majority of the people in Delta State, produce little, have few resources, and have low incomes and weak purchasing power. The total population depends on their combined productivity to the tune of 70%. Cruz (2010) claims that the majority (more than 80%) of small-holder farmers around the world rely on farming as their main source of income. According to the World Bank (2008), three out of every four impoverished people live in rural areas and rely on agriculture either directly or indirectly for their living. As a result, those who depend on farming homes will also be affected by flood threats.

In most of the world, but especially in emerging nations like Nigeria, food security and associated challenges are crucial welfare concerns that take center stage in discussions on global economic policy. Due to low productivity, achieving food security is the main issue facing rural farming households. Rural farming families in Delta State, Nigeria face significant problems to their food security and means of subsistence due to the changing climate pattern and its impact on agriculture. According to an estimate from the United Nations, the demand for food will skyrocket over the next 20 years. According to Ash et al. (2007), by 2020, climate change-related risks like flood may cause yields from Africa’s rain-fed farm production to drop by 50%.

Previous research (Meza et al., 2008) showing links between flood risks and poverty levels among vulnerable rural farm families has sparked a lot of interest. Accordingly, the body of work has focused on three primary areas in relation to climatic threats and the economic situation of vulnerable rural farm families:

* There is a strong correlation between farm output and flooding (Meinke and Stone, 2005).

Rural areas are particularly vulnerable because they lack the financial means and capacity to reduce flood risks.

The requirement for agronomic

as well as economic models that can include pertinent factors for adaption practices and strategies (Maza, et al., 2008).

Agronomic and economic models of flood hazards suggest that, over time, adaptive use of seasonal climate forecast could be advantageous, particularly for farmers who are at risk of flooding (Letson et al., 2005). Hansen et al. (2009) showed that precise forecasting of flood dangers could yield significant benefit.

The major objective of estimating flood response models is to incorporate the pertinent elements in decision-making regarding flood threats. It’s crucial to look into how at-risk rural farm families and others in the flood belt use information about flood hazards forecasts to make decisions about their way of life (Roncoli, 2006).

Farmer, engineer, and economist concerns over flooding and its effects have led to headlines in international and Nigerian newspapers. The interactions between man and his social and economic surroundings are greatly impacted by flooding. Similar to how the Nile River was considered because of its yearly cycle of flooding, many early farming societies in Egypt placed a high value on agriculture. Flooding replenishes irrigation channels by depositing rich, fertile alluvium on agricultural areas.

The necessity to assess the effects of floods on socioeconomic activities in the Oleh community has grown as a result of the region’s increasing population, human activity, and flooding.

State of the research problem: 1.2

Flooding is a widespread occurrence on the surface of the earth that has been defined by a number of academics and organizations. Although these setbacks are only limited to those areas or locations with low topography, particularly in the coastal regions of the planet, flooding has caused a significant setback for mankind (Chorley, 1977).

According to Doocy, Daniels, Murray, and Kirsch (2013), human activity is one of the causes of flooding in addition to natural processes. While human activities refer to the way people change the hydrological cycle of the river and drainage system, deforestation, land reclamation, improper soil management, and other things, natural processes include excessive moisture through heavy rainfall and snowmelt combined with rain in the spring.

Nigerian farmers had seasonal flooding issues a number of years ago, which reduced crop productivity and income. For instance, flooding in Oleh resulted in the loss of 54% of the total corn produced as well as more than 50% of the plantain harvest in 2011 and 2012 (Ojeh and Orivoh, 2014). Flooding, a recurring issue in Oleh, has caused a lot of harm and problems for the community’s residents, including the destruction of agriculture, buildings, lives, and property. In addition to severely reducing human activities like farming and fishing, which are the main activities of the people, roads are inundated, making them impassable and limiting the movement of people in the area.

Flooding has an impact on a wide range of environmental factors. These include his business pursuits, dwellings, and way of life. There are many challenges to people’s way of life, from physical to social and economic, and those affected have some psychological impacts. In addition to flooding, land contamination also contributes to epidemics and illnesses. Oleh’s community has been severely impacted by flooding. In places that had flooded, there were significant social and emotional repercussions. These expenses include the loss of personal belongings, the need to move out of one’s house, and the persistent anxiety and unease brought on by the experience. During times of flooding, portable water supplies were contaminated and lost. In addition, the floods in Oleh caused individuals to endure unspeakable hardships while trying to construct new structures that would survive flooding.

Additionally, the difficulty of communication and personal mobility caused disruptions in the educational system. While the majority of people lamented the negative effects of flooding, other people celebrated it and prayed since they often profit from those who are impacted. For instance, marketers doubled the price of products like oil palm and pork. By raising the cost of transportation, transporters can earn more money.

Oleh’s residents have been compelled to build canals, raise home foundations, sand fill neighborhoods, produce crops that can withstand water, and harvest their crops before they are ready. The locals believe that the most frequent and reliable approach to locally lessen the effects of flooding on their output and food sources is through premature harvesting.

Governments and non-governmental organizations have made several attempts throughout the years to provide drainage systems, funds, and policies in an effort to lessen flood damage. Despite their best efforts, the majority of Oleh residents are unable to manage and were compelled to move their homes during the flooding to a government-provided camp. Regrettably, Oleh flood victims in particular were evicted from camps on November 24, 2012, exposing the government’s inadequate response to floods.

Despite the fact that there have been many published works on flooding, Oleh’s socio-economic activities have sadly not received the proper attention up to this point. For instance, Ojeh and Orivoh (2014) who studied flooding in Oleh concentrated solely on how flooding affected agriculture production and ignored other socio-economic activities. Researchers like Odermerho (1988), Sada and Odermerho (1988), Efe (2007), Aderogba (2012c), and others have written on the destructive effects of flooding at various points in time, but not in Oleh. Despite the frequency and severity of flooding in Oleh, there hasn’t been a thorough investigation into how flooding affects people’s socioeconomic activities. The researcher was inspired to conduct this investigation in light of the aforementioned issue and knowledge gap. The fundamental goal of our research is to close this knowledge gap.

1.3 Purpose And Goals Of The Research

The goal of this study is to analyze how a flood will affect smallholder crop farmers’ livelihoods and adaptation strategies. The precise goals are as follows:

i) Describe the effects of flooding on the community of Oleh.

ii) assess the effects of floods on the socioeconomic activities of the residents of the Oleh village, both good and bad.

iii) be aware of the quantity of fish lost in ponds per household in the Oleh neighborhood.

1.4 Hypothesis

HO: In Oleh, there is no demonstrable connection between flooding and socioeconomic activity.

1.5 Importance of the research

The relevance of this research cannot be overstated given how many various groups of individuals it will help and how much knowledge it will supply. Its importance is illustrated by the following:

The study will make it possible to manage flooding and provide people a thorough grasp of the flood prevention methods that are available so that they may effectively embrace them.

The study will also be used as a source of secondary data by academics and students planning to conduct related research in the future.