Effects of Rainfall Variability on Crop Production Planning in Bida Basin, Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract Availability of moisture for all land based activities (Agricultural and Hydrological) is dependent on spatial and temporal steadiness of rainfall during any rainy season. Failure rates in terms of crop yield and moisture harvest may be disastrous due more to lack of cognizance of the basic characteristics of rainfall such as Onset and Cessation dates and the Length of Rainy Season. These collectively results in both short and long term anomalies in rainfall amount received over a geographical area. The effect of rainfall variability oh crop production planning over the Bida Basin was investigated to assess farmers adoption and adaptation strategies to the variability in rainfall. Rainfall data for 40 years (1969 - 2009) were utilised. Both descriptive and inferential' statistics were used in the analysis. The results indicate that rainfall pattern is in form of alternate wet and dry years and characterised by strong seasonality. This is reflected in the farmers' response interms crop production planning and also served as useful indicator for estimating extreme rainfall events such as drought and floods. It is therefore recommended that continuous monitoring and careful assessment of moisture requirement be carried out and incorporated into planning process or maximum crop yield.