Abstract
Climate variability poses substantial risks to smallholder agriculture in Nigeria, making adaptation decisions and their economic implications increasingly important. This study examined climate adaptation decisions and farm profitability among smallholder cassava farmers in Ekiti State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 120 cassava farmers, and primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, farm budgeting, binary logistic regression, and Cobb-Douglas multiple regression were employed for analysis. Results showed that all respondents perceived changes in climatic conditions, with 77.5% reporting increased temperatures. Soil conservation was the most frequently reported adaptation practice (36.7%), followed by chemical and pesticide use (21.7%) and mulching (18.3%). Major adaptation constraints included inadequate information (81.7%), inadequate funding (79.2%), inadequate technological know-how (78.3%), and poor irrigation potential (61.7%). Logistic regression results indicated that age, income, farm size, access to credit, inadequate funding, and perceived temperature were significantly associated with adaptation decisions. Cassava production was profitable, generating total revenue of ₦683,958.33/ha and net farm revenue of ₦504,058.34/ha, with a gross return–cost ratio of 3.802. Farming experience, household income, farm size, planting materials, and agrochemical use were positively associated with profitability, while family labour showed a negative association. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening farmers’ access to climate information, technical knowledge, appropriate financial services, and production resources. Such support could enhance farmers’ capacity to implement suitable climate responses while sustaining economically viable cassava production under changing climatic conditions.