Effects of climate change variables on poultry production system and the need for strategic climate actions in Delta State, Nigeria

Poultry production system plays an important economic, nutritional and socio-cultural role in the livelihood of households in Delta State, Nigeria. Our present knowledge of the effect of climate change variables on poultry sub sector is significantly inadequate, unclear and thus attracting empirical investigation in recent times. This study drives its significance from the current global and national debates on climate change and its impact on livestock production system, particularly among poultry production systems. This study investigates the effects of climate change variables on poultry production system in Delta State, Nigeria (2008 -2018). A ten year  (2008-2018) time series data were collected on climate variables (temperature, humidity rainfall and sunshine duration) were elicited from NIMET website. Also 10 year time series data on poultry egg and broiler production were collected from FAOSTAT. Collected data were analysed with the relevant statistical tools (descriptive statistics and inferential statistics). The result shows that poultry meat output range from 26,000 to 273000 tonnes with a mean of 200,738.63 tonnes. Poultry egg output ranges between 489,288 tonnes to   660,000 with a mean of 591,327.45 tonnes. Multiple regression result shows that climate variable s explained 60.2% of the variation in poultry production.  Test of hypothesis reveals that temperature and rainfall are the most significant climate variable (P≤0.05) that influenced poultry production. It was recommended that strategic climate change actions such as regulating poultry house temperature, should be practiced by poultry farmers in order to generate better output of eggs and broiler.