Abstract
The survey investigated agroforestry practices and the impact on climate change mitigation in Umudike community, Ikwuano LGA, Abia State, Nigeria. Two hundred completed semi-structured questionnaires used in stratified random sampling techniques to collect data from respondents of three villages, in Umudike. Data collected were analyzed descriptively using SPSS 20. Over half (66.5%) of the respondents are males while farmers constitute the largest occupational group (76%). The most of the people indicated climate change caused heavy flooding and erosion (194 (97%) and led to irregular rainfall (90%) while only 21 respondents (10.5%) indicated it caused sea level rise. Majority of the people (83.5%) also linked reduced agricultural crop production to climate change. Whereas all the respondents (100%) indicated using agrisilvopastoral practices, the homegarden was the most used system (92.5%) supporting several reports of its wide adoption in the southeast, Nigeria. However, a greatest number of respondents (91%) and (83.5%) affirmed that agroforestry practices enhance soil fertility and influence on water management respectively while only few people (28%) indicated its enhanced carbon sequestration. The findings indicated that Umudike community is sensitive to climate change and have adopted agroforestry as a climate smart agricultural practice. Promoting wider spread adoption of agroforestry practices in especially rural and semi-urban agrarian communities in southeastern Nigeria is essential. Agricultural and forestry extension services should be providing farmers in such communities with relevant training and technical support for greater adoption of technologies like agroforestry for climate change mitigation, adaptation and sustainable development.
Key words: Umudike community, Agroforestry strategies, Climate change impact, Mitigation and adaptation.
jaerem Nwajiobi, B