Knowledge, Attitude and Coping Strategies to Climate Change at the Household Level in Makurdi Metropolis of Benue State

This study examines the knowledge, attitude and coping strategies to climate change at the household level in Makurdi Metropolis of Benue State. Three (3) research questions were raised and analyzed. Survey research was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised four hundred and fifty (450) residents of both rural and urban households aged 18 years and above. A sample size of two hundred and fifty (250) respondents was selected from the population Multi-stage and stratified proportionate sample techniques were used to select four counsel wards from the study area. the instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire with a total of 29 items titled, ‘‘Climate Change Knowledge and Attitude Questionnaire’’, (CCKAQ). Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The result showed household knowledge of climate change on disasters such as flood, drought and water challenges experienced by households with a mean score of 3.79, the findings on the effects identified poor periodic environmental sanitation, open defecation and poor households waste management practice with mean values ranging from 4.01 and 4.00 respectively. Households planting of economic tress (4.06), appropriate households waste management and disposal (4.02), developing right attitude towards natural resources such as Land, trees, air and water (3.97), these were identified as major coping strategies for climate change. it was concluded that households in Makurdi needs effective information on climate change, improvement in attitude as regards to practices that mitigate against climate change challenges. thus, it was recommended that household waste management and disposal should be improved within the community, causes and consequences of climate change should be intensified by local media, farmers should adopt good agricultural practices, planting of economic trees and conservation of natural resources should be improved by households, knowledge and understanding of climate change should be taught at all the educational levels.