The study analyzes factors affecting climate change coping strategies and constraints experienced by smallholder farmers under root crop (cassava and yam) farming systems in derived savannah ecological zone of Nigeria. The study used data collected from 400 farmers selected through a multistage random sampling technique from two States, Ebonyi and Enugu States, in the zone. The factors affecting the use of some climate change coping strategies were estimated using multivariate probit regression. We isolated factors that constrain farmers from coping with changes in climate using exploratory factor analysis. The findings revealed that the majority (98%) of the smallholder farmers indicated that delay in the onset of rains, too much rainfall (70%), higher temperatures (65%), and erratic rainfall patterns (43%) were the main types of climate change they experienced. The key strategies the farmers applied in coping with climate change are buying food (45%), starting the use of sustainable land management practices (43%), planting of early maturing crops (36%), planting trees (32%), starting non-farm activity (30%), and eating less food (30%). The multivariate probit regression result indicated that some variables influenced the likelihood of simultaneous adoption of the coping strategies. For example, providing climate change information to cassava and yam farmers through extension agents significantly increases the likelihood of engaging in climate-smart practices, namely, planting early-maturing crop varieties and tree planting. We also found that farmers' experiences with climate change variables and outcomes significantly influence the coping strategies they choose. For example, a decline in crop yield was positively and significantly associated with buying food, planting early-maturing varieties, starting a non-farm activity, and eating less as coping strategies. Constraints the farmers faced in coping with climate change were grouped as cultural impediments, weak knowledge/information, ineffective agricultural extension services, and weak policy and institutions. The study recommends, among others, strengthening of public agricultural extension services, provision of climate services to farmers, implementing policies to guaranty food security and enhancing the human capital of the farm households to reduce their vulnerability to climate change.

该研究分析了影响气候变化应对策略的因素以及尼日利亚大草原生态区小农在块根作物（木薯和山药）耕作系统下遇到的制约因素。该研究使用了从该地区埃博伊州和埃努古州两个州通过多阶段随机抽样技术选择的 400 名农民收集的数据。使用多元概率回归估计了影响某些气候变化应对策略使用的因素。我们使用探索性因素分析分离出限制农民应对气候变化的因素。调查结果显示，大多数 (98%) 的小农表示降雨延迟、降雨过多 (70%)、温度升高 (65%)、和不稳定的降雨模式（43%）是他们经历的主要气候变化类型。农民应对气候变化的关键策略是购买食物 (45%)、开始使用可持续土地管理实践 (43%)、种植早熟作物 (36%)、植树 (32%)、开始非农活动 (30%) 和少吃食物 (30%)。多元概率回归结果表明，一些变量影响了同时采用应对策略的可能性。例如，通过推广代理向木薯和山药农民提供气候变化信息，大大增加了采用气候智能型做法的可能性，即种植早熟作物品种和植树。我们还发现农民 对气候变化变量和结果的经验会显着影响他们选择的应对策略。例如，作物产量下降与购买食物、种植早熟品种、开始非农活动以及减少饮食等应对策略呈显着正相关。农民在应对气候变化方面面临的限制被归类为文化障碍、知识/信息薄弱、农业推广服务无效以及政策和机构薄弱。该研究建议，除其他外，加强公共农业推广服务，为农民提供气候服务，实施保障粮食安全的政策，增强农户的人力资本，以降低他们对气候变化的脆弱性。