Abstract

This study investigates the impacts of seasonal climate variability on staple crop yields and household food security in Tiko, Cameroon, over the period 1994-2024. Analyses reveal significant warming trends, with dry season maximum temperatures rising by 0.83 °C and rainy season temperatures increasing by 0.45 °C, alongside erratic precipitation patterns marked by declining rainy season rainfall and clustered dry season droughts. These climatic shifts coincide with sharp yield declines in maize (86%), cocoyam (85%), and cassava, driven by climate stress thresholds: dry season temperatures above 32.5 °C induce maize pollen sterility, relative humidity exceeding 91% exacerbates cocoyam fungal diseases, and rainy season rainfall beyond 2,600mm causes cassava waterlogging. Socio-economic factors, notably poverty and limited extension services, constrain adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices, intensifying food insecurity evidenced by reduced meal frequency and increased child malnutrition during droughts. The findings highlight critical climatic thresholds for targeted adaptation interventions, emphasizing integrated financial, technical, and infrastructural support to enhance resilience and sustain food production in Tiko’s vulnerable smallholder systems.

Keywords:Climate variability; Crop yield decline; Food security; Climate-smart agriculture; Seasonal warming; Drought clustering; Agricultural adaptation; Maize heat stress; Fungal diseases; Waterlogging impacts