Households' coping strategies for climate variability related water shortages in Oke-Ogun region, Nigeria

This paper identifies types of coping strategies that are available during water supply shortages to households in Oke-Ogun, Nigeria; investigates the adequacy and effectiveness of coping options and identifies why different population group prefer one particular coping strategy over another. This work also investigates how household socioeconomic status influence the choice of coping strategies during water supply shortages in local communities that do not have formal water utilities. Data was collected via site visits to three local communities in the region, a household survey of 397 respondents, key-informant interviews and focus group discussions. Observed and perceived trends of climate indicate variability with impacts on drying of wells which are the main water supply sources almost immediately after the wet season. During periods of water scarcity, most households combined multiple coping strategies. Yet, 90% of the participating households indicated that available coping strategies are not adequate. Households in traditional compounds rely more on behavioural coping options while households in newer planned neighbourhoods depend on technical coping options. The choice of hard coping options depends on households' socioeconomic characteristics with income as the most influential factor.

► Increasing rainfall variability and population pressure impact water access.
► Hard solutions were preferred as ideal and reliable coping strategies.
► The choice of coping options depends on households' socioeconomic characteristics.
► Existing water coping options are not adequate under a changing climate.
► Responses to build coping capacity should mainstream socioeconomic factors.