Assessment of Human Perception on the Impact of Climate Change and Population Growth on Water Scarcity in Katsina Urban Area, Katsina State, Nigeria

Abstract

Water is part of the global resources facing a great threat from the current changing climate and population increase, its scarcity and dramatic decrease in Arid and semi-arid regions of the world implies a setback to socio-economic development. This study examines the impact of climate change and population increased on water scarcity in urban Katsina through human perception. A purposive sampling method was employed and a total of 245 questionnaires were administered to the household heads in the study area. Descriptive statistics of frequency distribution and percentage were used in the analysis of the collected data. The results revealed that majority (70.2%) of the respondents are aware of the changing climate and its impact on water resource. Changes in the volume of water resources over years in the study area was significantly decreased (well 67.6%, tap 72.5% and rainwater 47.3%) which resulted in scarcity as perceived by the respondents. Majority (53.8%) have no idea about the changes in volume of boreholes water. The most significant impacts of climate change on water resource in the study area were low rainfall duration and intensity, drying up of wells, lowering of water table and increase frequency and occurrence of drought. It is recommended that water resource supply infrastructures, integrated water resource management and creation of awareness on the impacts of climate change on water should be provided as part of the strategies to ameliorate the impact of climate change on water resources.

Keywords: Climate change; Perception; Population Growth; Urban Katsina; Water scarcity.