A survey was carried out in the Mayo-Danay Division, Far-North Cameroon to assess rice farmer indigenous knowledge of the impact of climate change on rice production, their adaptation strategies. A sample of 140 of rice farmers was chosen at random in four rice growing municipality and was interviewed using a structured questionnaire with open and closed questions. The results showed that farmers clearly perceive climatic variations and their impact on rice production through the delay (89.00%) and decrease (87.00%) of rains, flooding (88.60%) and drought (85.00%). The impact of these climate changes on rice production was directly observed on the variation in yield according to the rice growing seasons and confirmed the perception of farmers. To cope with these climate variations, two types of adaptation strategies have been developed by farmers in area. This concerns varietal adaptation such as the use of improved varieties, and that of cultural practices such as direct seeding, transplanting, construction of protective or anti-erosion bunds and use of the fodder. It was a question of analyzing the farmer perception of the impact of climate change on rice production in Mayo-Danay Division. It appears that the farmers of Mayo-Danay perceived climatic disturbances in irrigated and rainfed rice cultivation. These preliminary results could contribute to sustainable management of rice cultivation.

Climatic variability, farmer perception, rice production, adaptation strategy, Mayo-Danay, Cameroon.

environmental engineering

Presentation: poster