Suiven John Paul Tume

Bio: Suiven John Paul Tume is an academic researcher from University of Bamenda. The author has contributed to research in topics: Climate change & Precipitation. The author has an hindex of 2, co-authored 4 publications receiving 14 citations.

Indigenous Knowledge and Farmer Perceptions of Climate and Ecological Changes in the Bamenda Highlands of Cameroon: Insights from the Bui Plateau

Abstract: Anticipating seasonal and shorter time scale dynamics to farming practices is primordial for indigenous farmers’ resilience under extreme environmental conditions, where climate change is a menace to agro-hydro-ecological systems. This paper assesses the effectiveness of indigenous farmers’ knowledge and aptitude to read weather signs for informed decisions on their daily and seasonal activities. Such climate-proof development is anchored on indigenous people’s knowledge and perceptions in circumstances where the dearth of scientific evidence or information exists as in Cameroon. The study is based on eight focus group discussions and a survey of 597 farming households in seven agro-ecological basins on the Bui Plateau of the Bamenda Highlands. The results indicate that indigenous smallholder farmers value their ability to accurately observe and anticipate local conditions in various ways to serve their local realities more aptly than outside forecasts. Such local knowledge should thus exercise a complementary role weave in a local climate information understanding system that replicates ecological variability.

Eucalyptus tree colonization of the bafut-ngemba forest reserve, north west region, cameroon

Abstract: Recent environmentalism in Cameroon and forest reserve creation has been varied in implementation and management between community and national stakeholders and policies. Good national intents for hot spot conservation saw the 1953 creation of the Bafut-Ngemba production forest reserve on the Bamenda Highlands, where today’s accelerated urbanization and development has largely engulfed. Pressure on the forest reserve resources has thwarted its spatio-temporal natural tree cover climax. The study uses a field survey and secondary data treatment methodology to probe how communities at the reserve fringe have responded to unmet natural wood demands by pushing in eucalyptus tree plantations to result in forest reserve reversal. Varied income-driven circumstances generated an overwhelming embrace of a eucalyptus culture swallowing up the natural trees. A thirty-year evaluation of the tree cover revealed a near 40% loss the reserve trees while eucalyptus laden-farmland have been gained ascendancy. This ecological colonization scramble was timid in the 1980s, then rapid in the 1990s and then exponential by 2018. There is a direct relationship between this spatial gains from the eucalyptus and population growth demand trends. The study therefore opts for a quick revisit of the initial forest reserve philosophy that is now being diluted in this eucalyptus embrace. These eucalyptus trees are ecological terrorists that should never be permitted to terrorize production forest reserves.

Standardized Precipitation Index Valuation of Climate Change in Bamenda

Abstract: Rainfall events across the earth’s surface, for varied reasons, are unevenly distributed. Such variation is reflective of the availability of water for human use and the cycles of activities like agriculture [1]. In this era of global environmental changes, a sound knowledge of the climate of human-populated territories is indispensable, considering the current phenomenon of climate change [2]. Rainfall variability, which refers to changes in the amount of rain received in a specified geographic space within a defined period, can be daily, monthly, seasonal or annual. Precipitation change averaged over global land areas is low before 1951 and medium afterwards because of insufficient data, particularly in the earlier periods of the records [3]. The long-term mean rainfall for a month, season or year does not often indicate the regularity with which given amounts of rainfall can be expected, especially in the low latitudes where rainfall is known to be highly variable in its incidence from one year to another [1]. In the tropics, rainfall tends to be more variable seasonally than annually. Rainfall variability is a measure of the degree of likelihood that the mean amount of rainfall may be repeated each year, season or month depending on the period under consideration [4-6]. The paper bridges some methodological gaps in previous studies on climate variability in Cameroon. Ngakfumbe [7] analysed rainfall probability and reliability over Cameroon, using Standard Deviation (SD) and Coefficient of Variation (CV), with no other climatic index. Molua and Lambi [8] made a descriptive analysis of rainfall variability and its impact on water resources over Cameroon, to note that mean annual rainfall decreases inversely to latitude, without specifying the indices that show regional variations. Tume [9-11] assessed the susceptibility of water resources to climate variability on the Bui Plateau, using the Rainfall Seasonality Research Article

Smallholder Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change and Adaptation Practices for Maize Production in Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract: Climate change and variability is affecting maize (Zea mays L.) production in eastern Ethiopia but how farmers perceive the challenge and respond to it is not well documented. A study was conducted to analyze smallholder maize farmers’ perception of climate change/variability and identify their adaptation approaches and barriers for adaptation in the eastern highlands of Ethiopia. Meteorological data were assessed to provide evidence of the perceived change. A survey was conducted in six major maize-producing kebeles with a total of 364 respondents. A multi-stage sampling method was employed for selecting the sample units for the study. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a multinomial logit model. The results indicated that 78% of the sampled smallholder maize farmers perceived increasing temperatures while 83% perceived decreasing amounts of rainfall. About 75% of the farmers indicated that they became aware of climate change and variability from their own experience and perceived deforestation as the main cause. The farmers perceived that drought, diseases and pests, dwindling soil fertility, and declining crop yields were the major impacts of climate change that affected maize production. The farmers’ major adaptation practices include adjusting planting dates, using improved maize varieties, intercropping, recommended mineral fertilizers, supplementary irrigation, and soil and water conservation measures. Econometric analysis revealed that low educational level, shortage of land, large family sizes, age, lack of access to irrigation water, lack of access to credit, and lack of access to extension services were the most important barriers to climate change adaptation in the area. It is concluded that farmers cultivating maize in the study area have perceived climate change and use certain adaptation strategies to counter its negative impacts on maize production. This implies that policies should be geared towards strengthening farmers’ efforts to adapt to climate change and alleviate the existing barriers in promoting adaptation strategies for enhancing the productivity of maize.

Pathways for resilience to climate change in African cities

Abstract: African cities are largely less-built with agile informal settlements and multiple ecologies that harbor different pathways for resilience to climate change. We undertook a qualitative systematic review of academic and policy evidence, to address the question of what interventions are emerging at neigbourhood to city scale to enhance resilience to climate change in Africa. Resilience at neigbourhood scale often stems from harnessing the local resource base and technologies for urban agriculture and forestry; alternative energy from wastes; grassed drainages for protection against erosion; recreation along dry riverbeds; fog-water harvesting; and adjustments in irrigation schedules. At city scale, planning is targeted at buildings, mobility and energy service delivery as the objects to be made resilient. The review established that evidence on comparisons across regions is mainly on East, West and South African cities, and much less on cities in Northern and Central Africa. Ecological comparisons are majorly on coastal and in-land cities, with minimal representation of semi-arid and mountainous cities. Resilience efforts in capital cities are the most dominant in the literature, with less emphasis on secondary cities and towns, which is necessary for a deeper understanding of the role played by inter-municipal and inter-metropolitan collaborations. African cities can bring context-sensitivity to global debates on climate resilience, if theoretical perspectives are generated from emerging interventions across case studies. We conclude with suggestions on what future research needs to take on, if evidence on resilience to climate change in African cities is to be strengthened.

Appraisal of smallholder farmers’ vulnerability to climatic variations and changes in the Western Highlands of Cameroon

Abstract: Agriculture is highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climatic variations and changes (CVC). Smallholder farmers in particular bear the brunt of adverse climate variations and changes. It was within this background that this paper assessed climatic variations and changes, and the drivers of smallholder farmers’ vulnerability to adverse climatic changes in the Western Highlands of Cameroon. Secondary data (temperature and rainfall data) and primary data (obtained through a household survey of 350 smallholder farmers) were used for the study. Data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. It was found that, smallholder farmers perceived relatively high temperatures, intense sunshine, and erratic and scanty rainfall. Rising temperature, intense sunshine and scanty rainfall recurred annually. Recurrent extreme weather events and poverty were perceived as the major causes of vulnerability to climatic variations and changes. Most smallholder farmers (57.43%) rated their degree of vulnerability to CVC as “highly vulnerable”. A strong non-cause-effect relationship existed between vulnerability to CVC and hypothesized socio-economic, institutional and environmental explanatory variables (p

Livelihood resilience to environmental changes in areas of Kenya and Cameroon: a comparative analysis

Abstract: Climate change is a major challenge for the agricultural sector worldwide. Smallholder farmers are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change owing to their high dependence on agriculture for livelihood sustenance. Building smallholder farmers’ livelihood resilience to the adverse effects of environmental change is critical to addressing their vulnerabilities. This paper comparatively assessed livelihood resilience of smallholder farmers in Isiolo County, Kenya and Northwestern Cameroon in the face of environmental changes. The results are based on household surveys of 339 farmers in Kenya and 350 farmers in Cameroon. Findings showed that using the same measures of livelihood resilience, farmers’ resilience were significantly different in the Kenyan and Cameroonian study areas (p < 0.05), with farmers in Cameroon being relatively more resilient than farmers in Kenya. In both study sites, a statistically significant causal relationship (p < 0.05) existed between farmers’ resilience and livelihood capital assets such as human capital (number of household members between 18 to 55 years, education level), natural capital (number of farms, size of farmland, number of agroforestry trees on the farm), financial capital (access to bank account, ownership of livestock, ownership of farmland, trees, and farm equipment), social capital (participation in agricultural group), and physical capital (use of irrigation). However, some livelihood capital assets were more important for building resilience in Isiolo County, Kenya while others were more important in Northwestern Cameroon. On the basis of these findings, it is recommended that climate change adaptation interventions and policies should take a critical look at the determinants of resilience in order to come up with effective plans of action that can enhance farmers’ resilience to environmental changes occurring in Kenya and Cameroon, and elsewhere.