CLIMATE CHANGE AND CHALLENGES OF FRESH WATER RESOURCES TO SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD IN SOME STATES IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

Abstract

Abstract Nigeria is highly vulnerable to climate like any other developing nation. This, coupled with increasing population and urbanization is exerting pressure on the fresh water resource that is basic for most human needs. Hydrological Growing Season (HGS) and potential evapotranspiration were derived and analysed todepict moisture stress. In addition, questionnaires were administered to determine available water sources used, access, distribution and members of the family that source for water. The result depict decline in increased potential evapotranspiration and decreased hydrological growing season between 1950 - 1978 and 1980 - 2006, an indication of high water stress signifying the impact of climate change. In addition, the result reveals that despite the fact the country has abundant water resource (surface and underground), it's availability and access is still a major challenge as indicated in available sources of water used and the number of hour's women and children spend searching for water per day. Therefore, management and sustainability of water resources should focus on scientific understanding of the challenges to the sustainability of the resource and using the available technology to identify and monitor it's depletion, degredation and spatio-temporal distribution.