ANALYSIS OF DROUGHT OCCURRENCE AND FARMERS ADAPTATION STRATEGIES IN BILLIRI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, GOMBE STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Drought remains one of the most persistent climatic hazards affecting large populations worldwide,
particularly in West Africa, where northern Nigeria is highly vulnerable. This study assessed drought
occurrence and farmers' adaptation strategies in the Guinea Savanna of Billiri Local Government Area. A
mixed-methods research approach was employed using both primary and secondary data. Primary data were
collected through Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) conducted with 15 participants purposively selected.
Secondary data comprised annual rainfall records (1996–2025) obtained from NASA POWER database. The
Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) was used to analyse rainfall variability and classify drought
occurrence, and qualitative interview data were analysed thematically. The results revealed considerable
inter-annual rainfall variability, with drought conditions ranging from near normal to severe and extreme
drought. Persistent drought episodes were recorded between 1999 and 2015, whereas the period from 2021 to
2025 was characterized predominantly by high rainfall, the climatic conditions with no major drought events.
These findings indicate that rain-fed farming systems in the study area remain highly vulnerable to rainfall
variability. Farmers primarily adapted through changing planting dates, mixed cropping, mixed farming,
rainwater harvesting, and livelihood diversification. In contrast, asset sales, begging, and technically intensive
adaptation measures requiring substantial financial investment were rarely adopted. The study concludes that
drought has remained a recurrent constraint to agricultural production in the study area, despite recent
improvements in rainfall conditions. Farmers continue to rely predominantly on indigenous and low-cost
adaptation strategies. The study recommends strengthening farmers' access to technical drought adaptation
practices, promoting improved drought-tolerant crop varieties, and encouraging tree planting to enhance
agricultural resilience under changing climatic conditions.