Title:
CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITY AND NATION-BUILDING: THE MFOM II- OGOJA EXPERIENCE

Authors:
PATRICK O. ODEY

Volume:4 Issue: 6

Keywords:
Climate Change, Mfom II, Ogoja, Vulnerability, Nation-Building

Abstract:
The anthropogenic activities of man like bush burning, use of chemicals, deforestation, overgrazing, and fumes from automobiles, generating sets over time have depleted the Ozone shield and adversely affected the climate. Climate variables like temperature, rainfall, sunshine and wind have changed considerably, as there have been cases of delayed and early stopping of rain, flooding and drought, late planting of crops and poor yield. The study area is Mfom II, an Ekajuk community of Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State. The Mfom II people are agrarian with part-time fishing and hunting activities as a result of their geographical location in the upper fringes of the Cross River. Climate change has negatively impacted on the people's source of food security and income. The study intends to capture the factors that made the area vulnerable to climate change and the nexus between the impact of climate change and nationbuilding. Materials for this endeavour were gleaned from interviews with farmers on their awareness of the climate change phenomenon, their adaptability strategy(ies), and validated with published literature on the subject. It is argued that vigorous extension services, availability and affordability of farm inputs, improvement on the knowledge of available alternative sources of fuel to mitigate climate change vulnerability, improve agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability toward achieving nation-building would be factors to reckon with.