Livestock farmers’ perception, perceived impacts, and adaptations to climate change in Koinadugu district, Sierra Leone

Abstract

Climate change is having a negative influence on agriculture and livestock production systems. This study aims to assess livestock farmers’ perceptions and adaptive responses to climate change in the Koinadugu area of northern Sierra Leone. A sample of 126 livestock farmers was selected from four chiefdoms. The data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and meteorological time series data. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0 and excel were used to analyze the data. According to the respondents’ socioeco­nomic characteristics, most farmers (93.7%) were males between 46 and 55 years. The majority of the farmers (58.7%) were married, and family sizes ranged from 5-8 individuals per household. Most of the livestock farmers (59.5%) in the study area had no formal education. Farmers attested to their awareness of climate change by essential indications such as increasing heat waves (77.0%), decreased rainfall (54.0%), and an increase in humidity (82.5%). Feed shortages (x̄ = 4.14), water scarcity (x̄ = 4.10), and higher veterinary care expenditures (x̄ = 4.25) are some of the impacts of climate change on livestock production. Numerous adaptation strategies include livestock reduction (87.3%), animal vaccination (95.2%), and Migration along with animals during the adverse climatic condition (75.4%), which the farmers employ. Lack of capital, inadequate information about climate change, and inadequate infrastructure impede adaptation. The study sug­gests that the government pursues strong policies to help livestock farmers adjust to climate unpredictability in the long run.