EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON COCOA PRODUCTION IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

The paper examined the effects of climate change on cocoa production in Ondo State, Nigeria. When talking about climate change and its effects, it is important to make adjustments and interventions in order to manage the losses or take advantages of opportunities presented by it. These adjustments or interventions are known as adaptation (IPCC, 2001). Cocoa has been the second largest foreign exchange earner after crude oil and has also contributed significantly to infrastructural development in the country. Given this importance, one would expect it to be produced on a large scale and its production should be on the increase to boost the nation’s foreign exchange earnings. But despite the nation’s commitment to increase its production, it is still being faced with the problems of climate change which cannot be controlled by man. It is because of this that a study to determine the effects of climatic change on cocoa production and how farmers are able to adapt to the changing climatic conditions is being carried out