RELIABILITY ON INTERCROPPING FOR MITIGATING THE IMPACT OF RAINFALL VAGARIES DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE ON CROP FAILURE IN RAIN-FED AGRICULTURE IN FARMS AT UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA NSUKKA
Keywords:
intercropping, rainfall, climate change, crop failure, cassavaAbstract
Sudden stoppage of rainfall which results from climate change phenomenon is a major surprise to smallholder farmers in southeastern Nigeria. It often led to complete loss of crops in rainfed cropping system which dominates in the area. This survey which was carried out at the University of Nigeria farms grown to many arable crops as sole or in mixtures was aimed to capture the impact of unexpected stoppage of rainfall on the various crops. The sudden stoppage of rainfall resulted to early drying of grasses in the farm and bush burning, which killed most of the crops in farms affected and incomplete life cycles of the crops especially maize. The general impact was complete loss of the crops except cassava. To mitigate this sudden negative impact, intercropping with cassava is strongly recommended in rainfed small farms in the area to avert complete loss of crops
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