Strategies for Sustainable Rice Farming

Strategies for Sustainable Rice FarmingLOW CARBON INITIATIVES A RURAL APPRAISAL OF VARIOUS MITIGATIVE STRATEGIES USED BY sift FARMERS AS A SCHEME FOR SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA SAVANNA.INTRODUCTIONMost of the warming that has occurred since mid-20th century is due to anthropogenic nursery gas (GHG) liberations, world activities including modern agriculture contribute to the take GHGs and on the over whole, virtually 14% of GHG emissions comes from the agricultural sector (IPCC, 1996).Several naturally produced and human produced GHGs trap heat. CO2, CH4, and N2O atomic number 18 long-lived in the atmosphere and are the major contributors to positive increases in radiative forces (IPCC, 1996).Agricultural activities are significant producers of CH4 and N2O, of the three master(prenominal) gases that are influenced by land management and that are responsible for the effectiveness greenhouse effect, CH4 has the 2nd greatest climate forcing potential of 27% CAST, (1992) arising from enteric fermentation of farm animals and sift cultivation.BACKGROUNDIn Nigeria, sift is superstar of the major cereals grown for food, the cultivable land to sieve lies under basketball team major ecologies namely rain fed upland, rain fed lowland, irrigated rice, abstruse water and tidal mangrove swamp (Olayemi, 1997). Although Nigeria is the largest rice producer in West Africa and 85% of the append labor comes from the north FAO (2012), rice production still seeks an increase in yield to meet the budding creation and reduce importation.According to Bello (2004), Nigeria has the potential to produce enough rice for its call for and even export but this is not achieved now because the technology, management practices and the qualification with which farmers use re witnesss influence productivity.JUSTIFICATIONSelf-sufficiency in rice production is the goal of the Nigerian regimen, this has prompted the government to find ways of boosting topi cal anesthetic anesthetic rice production (Bello, 2004). Rice paddies have been identified as major CH4 source induced by human activities and Nigerian paddies are not go away out. This poses a challenge as questi angiotensin converting enzymers are faced daily with the challenges of how to reduce or adapt to climate flip-flop, increase adoption of low atomic number 6 practices in all sectors and ways to implement their findings in local and global context of sustainable resource management.Consequently, estimating CH4 emissions from rice paddies and evaluating the low coke practices employ by farmers has become a pressing issue for assessing GHG impacts from agroecosystems and development of moderateness options at local scales for sustainable resource management.ObjectivesSpatio-temporal mapping of lands cultivated to rice from 1983 to 2013 in the subscribe to area.To compare the CH4 emissions from upland and lowland rice fields. task the taking into custody of climate change and various low carbon practices among rice farmers for environmental protection.Understand the challenges associated with the adoption of low carbon options for rice cultivation. methodologyTo achieve the stated objectives, the paper giveing involve Geo-spatial analysis, field measurements and socioeconomic survey.The study areaThe study bequeath be carried out in the savannah belt of Nigeria, Bida zone in Niger state will be selected for the study because of its long history of rice cultivation and its law of proximity to National Cereal Research show, where technologies for cereal cultivation emanate and are disseminated. The zone consists of three local anaesthetic politics Areas (Lavun, Bida and Gbako) and has a total land area of 6, 181 km2.Geo-spatial analysisData Cloud free-Ortho-rectified Landsat images of the area for the geezerhood 1983, 1993, 2003 and 2013 will be acquired from image vendors.Analysis ArcGIS and IDIRSI geo-spatial tools will be use for t he analysis of the Images. The images will be overlaid and an area of interest will be created from the overlay. Ground truthing will be done to aid supervised miscellany of the false and true composites of the area. The map of the dominant land use change of the area will be generated for from each one year. Accuracy assessment of the classification will be done, image differencing of the land cover maps will measure out the changes in land sizes cultivated to rice.Methane measurement CH4 emission will be measured by using a portable methane gas measurement (Gastech, Australia). Surface CH4 measurements from uplands and lowlands will be taken by inverting a 70mm dia bill plastic funnel on the soil surface, the inlet tube of the CH4 meter will be connected to the funnel to read CH4 concentrations (Kartik and Nanjappa).Sampling military operation and Data collectionA multistage sampling will be follow for the study. First, two administrative wards will be randomly selected fro m each Local Government Area, for the second stage, two small towns will be selected randomly from each selected ward and at the third stage, 20 rice farmers from each selected village will be randomly selected to give 80 farmers per Local Government Area and a total of 240 farmers from the zone. To allow for pre-testing and errors, 300 questionnaires will be printed.The sampling frame will focus on adult rice farmers who live in the communities and have been acres for over 25 old age based on the assumption that these respondents will have adequate existential knowledge about the subject matter.Primary data on the understanding of farmers about climate change, its effect on paddy farming, low carbon practices employ and the challenges associated with the use of these practices will be stash away by administering contain questionnaires to respondents in the study area.Statistical AnalysisAll data still will be analyzed, using computer based Statistical Packages for complais ant Sciences (SPSS) and STATA. A multiple linear regression will be used to link socioeconomic factors with factors that influence land use.REFERENCESCAST, 1992. Preparing U.S. Agriculture for Global modality Change. Task Force news report No. 119. Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, Ames, IA.Facts and Figures about Niger State, Assessed from http//www.nigerstate.gov.ng/epubl/Facts%20and%20Figures%20about%20Niger%20State1.pdfKartik V. and Nanjappa A. Phytocapping An Innovative Technique to Reduce Methane Emission from Landfills. Assessed from methaneflux paper (Environmental Research Journal).pdfIntergovernmental board on humor Change (IPCC), 1996. Climate Change 1995. The Science of Climate Change. The Contribution of Working Group I to the Second Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, New York.Impact of Trade on Domestic Rice Production and the challenge of Self-sufficiency in Nigeria Assessed from www.warda .cgiar.org//RicePolicy/Chuma.E/Chuma.E.Nigeria.Pres.ppt.Olayemi, J.K 1997. The Nigerian Rice Industry Performance, Problems and Prospects. A research report prepared for nutrition and Agricuktural Organisation, FAO December 1997.UNCCS (United Nations Climate Change Secretariat), Emissions Summary for Nigeria, http//unfccc.int/files/ghg_data/ghg_data_unfccc/ghg_profiles/application/pdf/nga_ghg_profile.pdfWEBSITES USEDwww.ricenigeria.com anticipate RESULTS AND THE RELEVANCE OF MY PROJECT TO CLIMATE CHANGEThe distinctiveness of this study is that it seeks to incorporate the experiences of rural farmers in understanding the challenges associated with adopting Low carbon initiatives at local scales. This trade union movement aims atDescribing the local perception of climatic vagaries in their environmentCharacterizing the prevalent land use patterns in recent times.Characterizing the various local preservation practices used by rice farmers for resource preservation.Describing the effec ts and constraints of adopting resource protection practices.The study would reveal the changes in land cover as mediated by increase in productivity over the prehistoric thirty years in the study area and the associated methane emissions. This would be facilitative in the design sustainable resource conservation measures for climate protection. As well, the study will reveal the awareness level of the respondents on few facts about climate change and variability, its toll on rice farming and various measures used to adapt to these changes.Since considerable attention has not been precondition to measuring results from adaptation and mitigation activities, results from this study hopes to be a workings tool for the Nigerian government in the development of a elementary Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) plan that is more readily useable by farmers through capacity building and technology development or transfer.This study will similarly provide insight into local re source conservation strategies that can be improved upon for sustainable resource management. The dataset will because become a working tool for the government, legislators, private sector, civil corporation and other stakeholders for appropriate understanding on the trends of greenhouse gas emission from paddies in Bida zone for necessary policy formulation on strategies to reduce the emissions in order to improve ecological system conservation and mitigate global warming.Please explain how you intend to communicate the project results during and after the sponsorship period and which target groups you particularly want to address. (2,000 characters max.The ultimate foci of this study is to raise public awareness on the amount of greenhouse gases released from paddies, it also intends to assess the low carbon strategies used by farmers and the challenges associated with using them. The major target groups are the locals and government officials.Although, the communities have limi ted expertise at some stages of the study, I intend to work in partnership with them for their ability to suggest strategies that would facilitate data collection and ensure that the data collected are representative of the community during the study. This will be done by clearly explaining the purpose of the study to the community head, since he has a actually good knowledge of the community and can help ensure that all factors required for the study is provided.The proximity of the National Cereal Research Institute (NCRI) will be of great assistance during the study and dissemination of results. They will be helpful in providing previous research results and some data-based techniques that will be invaluable in the design of the survey.Usually, conveying research results requires wisdom to avoid rejection. Before communicating the research results to the entire community, results will discussed with the study team from NCRI and the community representatives.Also, since the FADA MA intervention programmes that serve as an mediator between the government and the communities are common around the study area, assistance will be sought from the FADAMA facilitators during the study and when communicating the research results to the government to enhance acceptance for policy formulation.Timeline of the project, including milestonesTIME FRAME (MONTHS)ACTIVITY1-2 reach in Germany, Intensive German language course3 reconnaissance mission survey, acquisition of project materials and pretesting of questionnaire4-6Questionnaire administration and analysis.7-10Image acquisition, geospatial analysis and ground truthing11-12 antecedent write-up and corrections13-14Presentations and submissionThis study is expected to cover a one calendar year period, although this proposed duration is subject to modifications from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.