Adoption of climate change adaption techniques and its impact on net farm income of maize farmers in Southwest, Nigeria

Climate change threatens agricultural productivity, especially among smallholder maize farmers in Nigeria. Although climate change adaptation strategies (CCAS) are promoted, evidence on adoption dynamics and income effects remains limited. This study analyzes the determinants of CCAS adoption and its income impacts using advanced econometric methods. Data from 300 maize farmers, selected through multistage sampling across major producing regions, were used. Adoption decisions and intensity were estimated with a Hurdle Negative Binomial model, while income effects across the distribution were assessed using an Instrumental Variable Quantile Treatment Effect (IV-QTE) model to address endogeneity. Results show that gender, age, household size, income, awareness, and access to meteorological information significantly influence adoption decisions. Adoption intensity is mainly driven by household size, farm size, weather information, revenue, and extension access. IV-QTE estimates indicate that CCAS adoption significantly increases net farm income, with the largest gains among lower- and middle-income farmers. The findings highlight the importance of information and institutional support. The study recommends strengthening extension services, improving timely weather information access, and expanding credit-linked training programs to enhance adoption and farmer resilience.