Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Variability/Change, Its Impacts and Their Corroboration with Meteorological Evidence for Adaptation Planning: The Case of Rural Cameroon

A consideration of the link between climate change and perceptions in current climate change studies cannot be overemphasized. Being more anthropogenic in nature, understanding climate change and variability manifestations remain a key to effective adaptation planning and building resilience to such uncertainty. Inversely, most considered issues of climate manifestations are often one tailed- more national or international than at the local. This study sought to investigate farmers perceptions of climate variability/change, its impacts on their farming and assess whether these perceptions corroborate with Meteorological data within the Subdivision. As a cross-sectional study, we employed the purposive sampling and the simple random sampling to select the study units and elements for the study. Primary data was collected using the questionnaire which consisted of both open-ended and closed-ended questions. Secondary data was collected from the meteorological stations, library and internet sources. Results revealed that Farmers had much knowledge and awareness of climate variability with 83% noting increase in current temperatures which corroborated with empirical data evidence especially with significant change in Maximum temperatures over the subdivision. Empirical climate data clearly revealed that for the period considered, there has been much variability in temperature and rainfall and a significant increase in annual maximum temperature and a significant increase in rainfall during the dry season. They rendered much better explanations as to what climate change is and the potential observed impacts on their activity was well documented by a majority of farmers. Despite some controversies between farmers’ perceptions and empirical climate data, it is however important to consider both knowledge systems as complementary rather than contradictory in order to help shape adaptation effectiveness and increase resilience. Thus, (1) Perceptions and knowledge of farmers and locality context should be mainstreamed into adaptation planning in particular and climate change management as a whole within the Sub-Division.