Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Climate change poses a growing threat to agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods in Nigeria, particularly in rice-based farming systems that are highly sensitive to rainfall variability, rising temperatures, floods, and prolonged dry spells. These risks are unevenly distributed due to pre-existing social, economic, and institutional inequalities, yet empirical evidence on gender-differentiated vulnerability and adaptation remains limited. This study examines climate variability, gendered vulnerability, and adaptation strategies among male and female rice farmers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Niger State, North-Central Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 364 male and female rice farmers. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires, complemented by 30 years (1994–2023) of rainfall and temperature data from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, composite vulnerability and adaptation indices, t-tests, generalized Poisson regression, and factor analysis. Results reveal increasing climate variability characterized by erratic rainfall, rising temperatures, floods, and prolonged dry spells, with higher exposure in the FCT than in Niger State. While male and female farmers experience similar exposure to climate hazards, female farmers exhibit higher overall vulnerability due to greater sensitivity and lower adaptive capacity, driven by limited access to land, income, education, extension services, and institutional support. Although both groups adopt multiple adaptation strategies, male farmers employ a broader and more resource-intensive mix of strategies. The study concludes that climate vulnerability in Nigeria’s rice sector is shaped not only by climatic stressors but also by entrenched gender and institutional inequalities.</p>