RURAL COOPERATIVES; A CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TOOL AMONG RURAL DWELLERS IN ITESIWAJU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OYO STATE

Abstract

The study investigates the role of rural cooperatives in rural dwellers mitigation strategies against the impact of Climate change in Itesiwaju Area of Oyo State, Nigeria. Due to lack of coordinated planning in Africa make teeming population in Africa to be vulnerable without any way out that need urgent and adequate attention. A two stage sampling technique was used for this study. The first stage involves the consideration of 80% of the ward out of 6 wards in the study area; the second stage involves random selection of 40% of cooperators from each of the 5 wards making a total of 125 respondents’ interview through the use of standard structured questionnaire. The findings revealed that 58.4% of the respondents were male with majority 68.8% of the respondents’ age fell between 30 – 49 years of age and majority 64% of the respondents source finance was through personal savings. The result also revealed drying of natural rivers (98.4%), irregular rainfall (94.4%), and excessive heat (100%) as the major climate change affecting the respondents in the study area. The findings further revealed intentional afforestation (96%), discouraging the use of firewood (84%) and digging of borehole were some of the mitigation strategies employed by the respondents.  Result of the regression analysis reveals that factors such as; respondents educational level, farming experience, crop year and credit availability wee determinant factors affecting the mitigation strategies adopted by the respondents in the study area. Based on the finding of this study, the study recommends promoting co-operative participation by government and NGOs through sponsor awareness programs to encouraging rural dwellers to join co-operatives and broadening credit opportunities by collaborating with microfinance institutions to create accessible, low-interest loan packages for co-operative members.