Assessment of Risk Perception, Level of Awareness and Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change Among Households in the Ancient City of Zaria, Kaduna State

Abstract

This paper examined the risk perception, level of awareness and adaptation strategies to climate change among households in the ancient city of Zaria, Kaduna state. The study area has a total population of 261,952 based on 1991 population census which was projected to 707,264 in 2021 using Mehta 2004 method with a growth rate of 2.8%. A total of one hundred and fourty-one (141) copies of questionnaire which represents the sample size was purposively administered to both male and female respondents across six (6) wards in Zaria city representing 0.06% of the total population of the study area. This was determined using approximate sample method with 87% response rate (122 copies retrieved). The data collected were analysed and presented in simple tables, and percentages using Microsoft words tool 2016. Findings showed that rise in temperature with mean score of 2.85 was ranked first (1^st) among indicators of climate change awareness in the study area. Result also showed that irrigation practice with weighted mean 2.64 was the most accepted adaptation strategy employed in the study area. The paper concludes that households have increased knowledge/awareness of climate change in recent years. Since they have been practicing different adaptation strategies. The paper recommended that bridging gender gaps in knowledge and understanding of climate change need to be encouraged in order to tackle challenges pose by climate change in the study area.