TRADITIONAL LOCAL ADAPTATION STRATEGIES OF WOMEN TO THE 2012 FLOODING IN COMMUNITIES IN RIVERS AND BAYELSA STATES, NIGERIA.

In the face of their vulnerability, women have clearly demonstrated resilience in managing disasters using divers coping strategies. The study investigates the traditional local adaptation strategies of women to the 2012 flood in communities in Rivers and Bayelsa state. The aim is to identify those coping strategies adopted by women during the 2012 flood. The study area covered Ukaki, Zarama-Epie and Igbogene in Yenegoa Local Government Council of Bayelsa State, Edoha, Okporowo and Oshika in Ahoada East and Okaki, Odawu and Isua in Ahoada West Local Government Councils of Rivers State, all in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. The study adopted the cross sectional survey design. The sample size for this study is 400 and this was determined using the Taro Yamane formula. The study adopted the multi-stage sampling technique. First the three (3) Local Government Councils directly affected by the flood were selected while purposive sampling technique was adopted to select the communities that were directly affected by the flood disaster in these Local Government Councils. However, to select the 400 respondents (women), the systematic random sampling method was adopted. The study revealed that planting of flood resistant crops and trees, Traditional storage system, Construction of make-shift platforms and bridges and the use of Indigenous weather warning systems were some of the traditional adaptation coping strategies adopted by women in dealing with the flood disaster in the study area.