Agricultural Production and Climate Change: Need for Proper Extension Policy Formulation in Nigeria F.C. Anaeto 1* , C.C. Asiabaka 1 , A.E. Onweagba 2 , D.O. Ohajianya 1 , F.N. Nnadi 1 , C.C. Ifeanyi-Obi 1 , J.O. Ajaero 1 , M.U. Ukpongson 1 and F.O. Ugwoke 1 1. Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria 2. Imo State University Owerri, Nigeria (Submitted: January 10, 2012; Accepted: June 05, 2012) Abstract Changes in climate are expected to have significant impacts on farm yields and product quality as a result of changes in temperature, moisture, air and soil. This paper reviews the effects of climate change on agricultural production and the need for extension policy formulation. The paper further dwelt on the need for sound agricultural policy but observed that much cannot be achieved in that direction without efficient and effective extension system. It recommends a well articulated and comprehensive agricultural extension policy which will address properly the issue of climate change and its mitigations/adaptation. Keywords: Climate, Climate Change, Agricultural Productivity, Agricultural Policy, Extension Policy *Corresponding Author’s E-mail Address: frankanaeto@yahoo.com 1.0 Introduction In recent years, discussions about climate change have been invigorated by many individuals and organizations throughout the world. This has resulted to many definitions of climate change by different experts. For example, Ozor (2009) defined climate change as change in climate (i.e. average weather condition) over time, whether due to national variability or as a result of human activities and is widely recognized as the most serious environmental threat facing our planet today. Intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC 2007) defined climate change as statistically significant variations in climate that persist for an extended period typically decades or longer. It includes shifts in the frequency and magnitude of sporadic weather events as well as slow continuous rise in global mean surface temperature. Climate change therefore can be precisely defined as all changes in climate due to human activities or natural variations. Climate change manifests itself in a number of ways. These include: changes in average climatic conditions which makes some regions to become drier or wetter on average, changes in climate variability which shows that rainfall events may become more erratic in some regions, changes in the frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events and changes in sea levels. According to Eboh (2009) climate changes have three major causes namely; astronomical causes, volcanic eruptions and human socio- economicactivities, which lead to a build up of Carbon monoxide (CO), Methane (CH 4 ), Sulphur (iv) oxide (SO 2 ), etc. These gases are capable of absorbing terrestrial radiation from earth, re-radiating the heat back to earth, thereby leading to a general increase in temperature known as global warming. Experts generally believed that human activities are the main causes of changes in climate and that this comes in three major ways namely burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and growing world population. Critical statistics of relevance to climate change show that the vulnerability of Nigeria to the threat of climate change is not just in the area of agriculture but almost in all sectors of development. Nigeria has to contend with the various environmental problems particularly desert encroachment from the north and coastal inundation (due to rising sea levels) from the south (Agwu, 2008). According to oneworld.net (2010), eleven out of the thirty-six states in the country referred to as the frontline states are gradually being swallowed up by desertification, the Sahara is advancing at an estimated rate of 600 meters per annum and over 55 million people in ten northern states could be affected. Sea level rise is slowly eating away the coastal states; the Niger Delta may be the source of wealth but its Advances in Science and Technology, Vol. 6, No. 2S, August 2012, pp 75 - 81