COMPLETE SCHOOL PROJECT TOPICS & MATERIALS :
CHAPTERS: Chapter 1-5 | DOC FORMAT: MS WORD/PDF | PRICE: ₦5,000

ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF REGENERATIVE PRACTICES LIKE COVER CROPS IN IMPROVING FARMER RESILIENCE TO EXTREME WEATHER

ABSTRACT

Climate change-induced extreme weather events pose severe threats to agricultural productivity and farmer livelihoods in Nigeria, where the sector contributes approximately 25% to GDP and employs over 70% of the workforce. Regenerative agricultural practices, particularly the use of cover crops, offer a promising solution by enhancing soil health, improving water retention, and increasing resilience to droughts and floods. This study investigates the economic benefits of these practices, including reduced input costs, stabilized yields, enhanced profitability, and potential revenue from carbon sequestration. Through an examination of soil health improvements, cost savings, and long-term resilience, the research highlights how cover crops can mitigate economic losses from extreme weather, such as the 2022 floods that caused agricultural damages estimated at N700 billion. Findings underscore the potential for regenerative practices to support food security, rural economies, and climate adaptation, while recommending policy incentives for widespread adoption among smallholder farmers.Climate change-induced extreme weather events significantly threaten agricultural productivity and farmer livelihoods in Nigeria, where the sector contributes approximately 25% to GDP and employs over 70% of the workforce. Regenerative agricultural practices, particularly the adoption of cover crops, represent a viable strategy to enhance soil health, improve water retention, and strengthen resilience to droughts and floods. This study evaluates the economic advantages of such practices, including reductions in input expenditures, yield stabilization, increased profitability, and potential revenue from carbon sequestration. By analyzing soil health improvements, cost efficiencies, and long-term resilience, the research demonstrates how cover crops can mitigate economic losses from extreme weather events, exemplified by the 2022 floods that resulted in agricultural damages estimated at N700 billion. The findings emphasize the potential of regenerative agriculture to bolster food security, rural economic stability, and adaptive capacity, while advocating for policy interventions to encourage widespread adoption among smallholder farmers.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Agriculture remains a cornerstone of global economies, providing food security, employment, and livelihoods for billions of people. However, the escalating impacts of climate change, manifested through extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, heatwaves, and erratic rainfall patterns, pose significant threats to agricultural productivity and farmer resilience (Obaji et al., 2022). In Nigeria, where agriculture employs over 70% of the population and contributes approximately 25% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Oxford Business Group, 2024), these challenges are particularly acute. The country’s diverse agro-ecological zones, from the arid Sahel in the north to the humid rainforests in the south, experience varying degrees of vulnerability. For instance, northern Nigeria frequently grapples with prolonged droughts and desertification, leading to crop failures and livestock losses, while southern regions face flooding and soil erosion that devastate farmlands.

Regenerative agriculture emerges as a transformative approach to mitigate these vulnerabilities. Unlike conventional farming, which often relies on intensive tillage, synthetic fertilizers, and monocropping practices that degrade soil health and exacerbate environmental risks regenerative practices focus on restoring ecosystems (World Bank, 2022). Key among these is the use of cover crops, which involve planting species like legumes, grasses, or cereals between main crop cycles to protect and enrich the soil. Cover crops prevent erosion, enhance soil organic matter, improve water infiltration, and promote biodiversity, thereby building long-term resilience against extreme weather (Poeplau & Don, 2015). Studies indicate that such practices can increase soil water-holding capacity by up to 20-30%, making farms more drought-resistant and reducing the economic losses associated with water scarcity (World Bank, 2022).

Economically, regenerative practices offer multifaceted benefits. They reduce input costs by minimizing the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, as healthier soils naturally suppress pests and retain nutrients. In the context of Nigeria, where smallholder farmers dominate and often face high input prices, adopting cover crops has been shown to enhance yields by 10-30% in resilient systems, even during adverse weather conditions (Obaji et al., 2022). Furthermore, these practices contribute to carbon sequestration, potentially opening avenues for farmers to participate in carbon credit markets, providing additional revenue streams (Schilling et al., 2021). Globally, regenerative agriculture has been linked to improved profitability, with farms reporting net income increases through soil health improvements via cover crops and no-till methods. In Africa, including Nigeria, regenerative approaches are projected to boost food security by reducing yield variability and enhancing economic stability for rural communities (World Bank, 2025).

This study explores the economic benefits of regenerative practices, with a focus on cover crops, in bolstering farmer resilience to extreme weather. By examining these benefits, the research aims to provide evidence-based insights that can inform policy and practice in Nigeria’s agricultural sector

Agriculture remains a fundamental component of global economic systems, sustaining food security, employment, and livelihoods for billions of individuals. However, the intensifying effects of climate change, evidenced by extreme weather phenomena including droughts, floods, heatwaves, and irregular precipitation patterns, present substantial risks to agricultural output and the adaptive capacity of farmers (Obaji et al., 2022). Nigeria exemplifies these challenges acutely, given that agriculture engages more than 70% of the population and contributes nearly 25% to the national Gross Domestic Product (Oxford Business Group, 2024). The country’s heterogeneous agro-ecological zones, spanning the arid Sahel in the north to the humid rainforests in the south, exhibit distinct vulnerabilities. For example, northern Nigeria recurrently contends with extended droughts and desertification, precipitating crop failures and livestock depletion, whereas southern regions suffer from inundation and soil degradation that obliterate arable land.

Regenerative agriculture represents a paradigm shift in addressing these vulnerabilities. In contrast to conventional agricultural methods, which frequently depend on intensive tillage, synthetic fertilizers, and monocropping practices that deteriorate soil integrity and amplify environmental hazards, regenerative techniques prioritize ecosystem restoration (World Bank, 2022). A central feature of this approach involves the strategic deployment of cover crops, whereby species such as legumes, grasses, or cereals are cultivated between primary crop cycles to safeguard and revitalize the soil. Cover crops mitigate erosion, augment organic matter content, optimize water retention, and foster biodiversity, thereby reinforcing long-term resilience against climatic extremes (Poeplau & Don, 2015). Research demonstrates that such interventions may elevate soil water-holding capacity by as much as 20-30%, enhancing drought resistance and mitigating economic repercussions linked to water deficits (World Bank, 2022).

From an economic perspective, regenerative agriculture confers diverse advantages. It curtails production expenditures by reducing reliance on agrochemicals, as robust soils inherently suppress pests and conserve nutrients. Within Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, where smallholder farmers predominate and confront prohibitive input costs, cover cropping has been associated with yield enhancements of 10-30% in resilient systems, even amidst adverse climatic conditions (Obaji et al., 2022). Additionally, regenerative practices facilitate carbon sequestration, potentially enabling farmer participation in carbon credit markets as an auxiliary income source (Schilling et al., 2021). Globally, regenerative methodologies correlate with heightened profitability, with documented cases of farms achieving net income gains through soil health optimization via cover crops and no-till techniques. In Africa, including Nigeria, regenerative strategies are anticipated to fortify food security by minimizing yield volatility and reinforcing economic stability in agrarian communities (World Bank, 2025).

This study investigates the economic merits of regenerative agriculture, particularly through cover cropping, in augmenting farmer resilience to extreme weather events. By scrutinizing these benefits, the research endeavors to furnish empirically grounded insights capable of guiding policy and operational frameworks within Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite the potential of regenerative agriculture, many Nigerian farmers continue to rely on conventional methods that deplete soil resources and heighten susceptibility to climate shocks (Enete et al., 2012). Extreme weather events have led to substantial economic losses; for example, the 2022 floods in Nigeria displaced over 1.3 million people and destroyed farmlands with agricultural losses estimated at N700 billion (NAERLS, 2023). Droughts in the north have similarly reduced crop outputs by up to 50% in affected areas, forcing farmers into debt cycles due to repeated replanting and input purchases.

The adoption of regenerative practices like cover crops remains low, often due to perceived high initial costs, lack of awareness, and inadequate extension services. This gap results in missed opportunities for economic gains, such as reduced operational expenses and stabilized incomes during weather extremes. Without targeted interventions, farmers’ resilience will continue to erode, threatening Nigeria’s agricultural sustainability and national food supply. This study addresses the problem by investigating how regenerative practices can deliver tangible economic advantages to enhance resilience.

Despite the demonstrated benefits of regenerative agriculture, persistent reliance on conventional farming methods among Nigerian farmers continues to exacerbate soil degradation and vulnerability to climate variability (Enete et al., 2012). Catastrophic weather events have precipitated significant economic damage; the 2022 floods resulted in the displacement of over 1.3 million individuals and the destruction of agricultural lands, with losses approximating N700 billion (NAERLS, 2023). Concurrently, prolonged drought conditions in northern regions have diminished crop yields by as much as 50%, compelling farmers into unsustainable cycles of debt through repeated replanting and input procurement.

The limited uptake of regenerative techniques, including cover cropping, stems primarily from misconceptions regarding upfront investment requirements, insufficient knowledge dissemination, and ineffective agricultural extension systems. Consequently, farmers forfeit potential economic benefits, such as operational cost reductions and income stabilization amidst climatic volatility. Absent deliberate policy interventions, the progressive decline in agricultural resilience poses a direct threat to Nigeria’s food security and long-term agrarian sustainability. This research contributes to addressing this critical gap by empirically evaluating the economic viability of regenerative practices as a mechanism for bolstering farmer resilience.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The general objective of this study is to examine the economic benefits of regenerative practices, particularly cover crops, in improving farmer resilience to extreme weather in Nigeria.

The specific objectives are:

1. To assess the impact of cover crops on soil health and its subsequent effects on crop yields during extreme weather events.
2. To evaluate the cost savings and profitability enhancements associated with adopting regenerative practices.
3. To analyze how these practices contribute to long-term economic resilience for Nigerian farmers.
4. To recommend policy measures for promoting regenerative agriculture in Nigeria.

1.4 Research Questions