Local communities’ belief in climate change in a rural region of Sub-Saharan Africa

A survey among adult residents (n = 416) was designed to understand their belief in and concern for climate change (CC) across three rural community groups in Osun State, Nigeria. This was with a view to understand their perspectives and to assist in Sub-Saharan Africa CC policy formulation. Over half (52.6 %) of the residents who did not believe in CC were illiterate (55.3 %) but were aware, especially through radio (43.0 %). Awareness through government agents, newspaper and information from weather stations were poorly reported. The residents observed variability in their local climate conditions over the decades and were highly concerned (69.2 %) of the effects of this on their farming activities. Residents’ belief in and concern for CC in hamlet (r = 0.303) and compact (r = 0.406) rural communities were significant (P < 0.001), though below moderate and weak in dispersed (r = 0.058, P = 0.000) areas. Despite the weak relationship in the latter settlement category, its regression coefficient of determination (R2) showed that the level of awareness was responsible for just 0.3 % of the variation in the concern for it but increased by 9.8 % when adjusted by education. Scientific opinions on farm chemicals (2.64), automobile exhaust (2.35), fuel-based generator fumes (2.56) and burning of logs (2.38) were rated below CC causal mean index (3.0), while traditional belief that CC occurs as a natural phenomenon (4.37) was highly rated. The Sub-Saharan African governments must raise policies that can address rural adult education to increase their level of awareness and positively influence local residents’ belief about CC in their local communities.