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Explora: Environment
and Resource Climate change adaptation through indigenous practices in Ebonyi State

1. Introduction Nigeria’s gross domestic product benefits significantly
from the production of sweet potato, an underappreciated
Climate change is a global phenomenon, although its tuber crop. The cultivation of sweet potato can substantially
impacts are not evenly distributed across the world. Its support food security and boost the income of rural
increasing threats have become a global problem, making households. Most farmers in Ebonyi state cultivate sweet
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it more difficult to achieve sustainable livelihoods. African potatoes at both subsistence and commercial levels.
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countries, including Nigeria, are contending with the A report by Osuji et al. shows that unexpected climate
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growing threats of climate change alongside a rising fluctuations have restricted the capacity of sweet potato
population. These challenges have resulted in a disturbing
trend of reduced crop yields, soil degradation, decreased soil farmers to scale up production, leading to decreased
moisture, and accelerated desertification. Grigorieva et al. output, poor returns, and adverse effects on farmers’
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observed that the vulnerability of the agricultural sector is livelihoods. Rising temperatures and altered rainfall cycles
have also affected the sweet potato production value chain.
not assessed solely by the extent of environmental stress,
like changes in climatic variables but also by the capacity An increase in temperature distorts the germination
to adjust and recover from the adverse outcomes of such of sweet potato tubers and poses a severe threat to leaf
changes. Although the ability of farmers to adapt and their maturity in sweet potato cultivation. Researchers have
degree of vulnerability are associated with environmental observed notable changes in sweet potato farming practices
changes, these are also influenced by social factors such as in Ebonyi State. These challenges contribute to food
indigenous practices and land tenure systems. insufficiency and insecurity in the state, as the demand for
sweet potatoes exceeds the available supply. 11
Indigenous practices are unique to specific cultural
settings, developed through years of experience, ingenuity, Studies have shown that the socioeconomic
sociocultural norms, belief systems, experimentation, and characteristics of farmers affect their adoption of
close observation of vulnerable natural systems. These indigenous practices in agriculture. According to Osuji
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practices represent strategies cultivated over generations, et al., understanding the impact of these characteristics
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often transmitted orally, and have significantly contributed on the implementation of indigenous practices will help
to solving agricultural challenges, including those related accelerate their adoption in agricultural production.
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to climate emergencies. The retention of indigenous Shelembe et al. and Oparaojiaku et al. reported that
knowledge by rural farmers and its application in farming gender, age, level of education, and access to agricultural
activities serves as a reservoir of indigenous practices. credit influence the use of indigenous practices among
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These practices offer valuable insights that extend farmers. Osuji et al., Oti et al., and Onyeneke et al.
beyond their cultural contexts, informing scientists noted that farmers have developed resilience to climate
and development planners in efforts to improve rural change over many decades by employing agricultural
livelihoods. Farmers are among the households most risk management approaches. However, these studies
severely affected by changes in weather patterns. Hence, have largely focused on the adoption of innovative
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indigenous practices are actively implemented by experts farm practices, without giving adequate attention to
in their interactions with the environment. the favorable disposition of farmers toward indigenous
practices. This lack of attention has created a gap in
In agricultural production, indigenous experts have the literature regarding why many farmers continue to
developed these practices as a form of social capital to implement traditional agricultural practices, despite efforts
support the survival of vulnerable farmers. Juah and by governmental and non-governmental organizations to
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Nhamo emphasize that indigenous practices are essential promote climate-smart agriculture aimed at strengthening
for initiating successful climate change adaptation research farmers’ adaptive and buffering capacities.
and implementation in rural farming communities. They
represent a reliable alternative for mitigating the adverse Although there are existing studies related to climate
effects of a worsening climate. In farming, such practices change and sweet potato cultivation, including factors
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include managing hazards induced by climate change affecting the adoption of climate-smart agriculture
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through innate wisdom and approaches. However, these by potato farmers and the sweet potato processing
practices are at risk of extinction due to the incursion capabilities of households, none have assessed the
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of development ideas that often promote unsustainable application of indigenous practices in sweet potato
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expectations of quick solutions to rural farmers’ challenges. farming. Ayi and Undiandeye noted that governmental
Before the emergence of these foreign strategies, rural and non-governmental initiatives to build climate
farming households relied on indigenous practices as their change resilience are unlikely to succeed if farmers fail to
primary means of adapting to climate change. incorporate indigenous practices into their adaptation and

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2025) 2 doi: 10.36922/EER025250048