EVOLVING FARM-LEVEL ADAPTATIONS OF SMALLHOLDER MARKET GARDENING FARMERS TO TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL VARIABILITY IN BUEA, SOUTH WEST REGION, CAMEROON

Farmer’s adaptation either spontaneous or planned, ultimately aims at adjusting and moderating environmental risks such as temperature and rainfall variability. The study sought to explore the evolving farm-level adaptations of smallholder market gardening farmers to temperature and rainfall variability in Buea. Using a mixed research design, the study obtained primary data from 200 sampled farm household heads across four communities (Bomaka, Bokova, Molyko and Lower Farms) in Buea Municipality to supplement direct field observations and measurements. The survey results revealed that market gardening farmers have observed significant debilitating impacts of temperature and rainfall variability on their activity with implications being food insecurity risks, reduction in farm incomes and general livelihood disruptions. The survey revealed that market gardening farmers' adaptation strategies are evolving through an integration of modern and local knowledge such as the use of irrigation, organic manure, agro-chemical application and planting of resilient varieties. Findings highlight some constrains to adaptations being poor farm to market roads, financial constraints, inadequate knowledge/information about occurrences of extreme climate conditions, inadequate water for irrigation during the dry season and inflexible land tenure systems. The study suggested subsidisation of farm inputs and provision of timely information to farmers as per the climate conditions via extension services or other accessible means of communication.