Climate Influenced Challenges of Accessibility to Water by Households Downstream of the Upper Benue River Basin-Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined climate influenced challenges of accessibility to water by households downstream of the Upper Benue River Basin, Nigeria. Literatures related to the topic being investigated were reviewed. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of the study consisted of communities in Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi and Taraba states. Eight different communities, two in each local government were sampled for the study. Simple random and purposive samplings were used for the study. A total of 351 respondents were selected for the study using Krejcie and Morgan sample size determination. Data analysis was done using frequency tables percentages and mean statistics. The findings of the study showed that climate variability has great impact on water stress and threats to households’ downstream in Upper Benue River basin represented with a mean 3.85 (decrease in the quality and quantity of surface water) as well as 3.43 (drying up of rivers and lakes). The study also revealed that water stress induced by climate variability has a significant effect on household livelihoods represented by 87% of the respondents in the study area. It was also revealed that that households downstream the basin are vulnerable to climate change and households in the study area have development strategies to contend with water stress so as to better their livelihood among which is surface water harvesting (2.78), reducing the number of times dishes are washed (2.96), reducing the quantity of water used for bathing (3.0) among others. The study recommended that stakeholders and the government should make proactive efforts to ensuring that alternative water sources are established in the study area to reduce water stress among the rural populace.