Households’ Coping Strategies in Drought- and Flood-Prone Communities in Northern Ghana (original) (raw)
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Analysis of farm households' perceived climate change impacts, vulnerability and resilience in Ghana
Scientific African , 2020
Analysis of climate impacts, vulnerability and resilience is crucial to understand how humans relate with global environmental changes. Against the backdrop of lack of comprehensive information on assessment on these indicators within Ghana's context, this study used cross-sectional data from 300 farmers from two districts of Ghana to analyze climate change through a subjective approach. The data was analysed using ordered probit regression. The result established that, majority of the farm households perceived significantly high impacts of climate change on their livelihoods; low to very low climate vulnerability; and high to very high resilience to climate change. The factors that explained the level of climate impact were age, credit access, number of unemployed households, household per capita expenditure, and number of times of flood a farmer experienced in recent times. The estimated climate vulnerability level of the farmers was significantly influenced by education, credit, membership of farmer based organization (FBO), unemployed household members, non-farm income, environmental warning and droughts. Also, climate resilience of the farmers was significantly influenced by the location, credit access, FBO membership , consumption expenditure, drought and source of domestic water. The result established that a broader consultation and strategy is required to address the consequences of climate change and to improve the resilience of farm households in Ghana.
Northern Ghana is becoming vulnerable to risks in-duced by climate change. There is an urgent need to improve communities' ability to cope by implementing risk-preventive measures at the household and com-munity levels. However, studies have shown that the existing risk communication system often fails to en-courage the people to implement risk-preventive mea-sures because community concerns are not seriously taken in the adaptation planning and management process. The present study systematically examines community concerns about existing risks and possi-ble adaptation strategies by conducting group meet-ings in four rural communities in the Wa West District. Results show that local communities consider drought or water scarcity to be the most severe risk from cli-mate change because it is directly affecting their liveli-hood, which is mainly rain-fed subsistence agriculture. As their livelihood is increasingly affected by drought, the local communities are becoming more expose...
Northern Ghana is becoming vulnerable to risks induced by climate change. There is an urgent need to improve communities' ability to cope by implementing risk-preventive measures at the household and community levels. However, studies have shown that the existing risk communication system often fails to encourage the people to implement risk-preventive measures because community concerns are not seriously taken in the adaptation planning and management process. The present study systematically examines community concerns about existing risks and possible adaptation strategies by conducting group meetings in four rural communities in the Wa West District. Results show that local communities consider drought or water scarcity to be the most severe risk from climate change because it is directly affecting their livelihood, which is mainly rain-fed subsistence agriculture. As their livelihood is increasingly affected by drought, the local communities are becoming more exposed to floods and other natural calamities. Presently, the climate change adaptation strategies of the local communities are weak and ineffective. It is found that improved irrigation facilitated by rainwater harvesting, watershed management, and seasonal weather forecasting are the preferred adaption strategies. Though a high level of intention to adopt non-structural preventive measures is observed, local communities report that a lack of knowledge and insufficient financial resources are major impediments to their implementation.
Rural Farmers’ Approach to Drought Adaptation: Lessons from Crop Farmers in Ghana
African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation, 2021
Sub-Saharan Africa is considered to be highly vulnerable to climate change-related disasters particularly drought. Farmers in Ghana have learnt to co-exist with it by resorting to various approaches. This study sheds light on farmers’ adaptation to drought in Ghana. The cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from a random sample of 326 farmers and six purposively selected lead farmers from six farming communities. Questionnaire and in-depth interviews were used for data collection. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed a significant variation between locations and use of drought adaptation approaches. The study showed that the most common drought adaptation measures comprise locating farms on riverine areas, drought monitoring, formation of farm-based organizations for dissemination of climate information, application of agro-chemicals, changing planting dates, cultivating different crops, integrating crop and livesto...
2020
Water is precious and vulnerable simultaneously in the face of climate change impacts. Farmers respond differently to climate change impacts depending on available resources. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of access to water on smallholder farmers' coping strategies to climate change impacts in the semi-arid zone (Aw climate). Using a mixed method approach, 6 focus group discussions, 10 key informant interviews and 148 questionnaires were administered to farmers. Quantitative data were analysed and presented using descriptive statistics whilst qualitative data were transcribed and discussed alongside. The study found that in coping with local climate change, farmers' incomes are dependent on availability of water to supplement rainfall. Therefore, communities closer to the waters of the Tono irrigation dam have greater advantage over other communities that rely on waters from dugouts and wells. Also, income gained from farming is complemented with supplementary incomes from activities such as petty trading, carpentry and sale of farmers' labour on others farms. Availability of water, particularly, during the dry season is a determinant factor of success in terms of good farm produce, income and better coping with local climate change impacts. To help these water-stressed farmers, the provision of sustainable sources of water is inevitable. The government and smallholders need to work together to solve the problem.
Water, 2015
This study analyzed the farmer-perceived importance of adaptation practices to climate change and examined the barriers that impede adaptation. Perceptions about causes and effects of long-term changes in climatic variables were also investigated. A total of 100 farmer-households were randomly selected from four communities in the Lawra district of Ghana. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires and focus group discussions (FGDs). The results showed that 87% of respondents perceived a decrease in rainfall amount, while 82% perceived an increase in temperature over the past 10 years. The study revealed that adaptation was largely in response to dry spells and droughts (93.2%) rather than floods. About 67% of respondents have adjusted their farming activities in response to climate change. Empirical results of the weighted average index analysis showed that farmers ranked improved crop varieties and irrigation as the most important adaptation measures. It also revealed that farmers lacked the capacity to implement the highly ranked adaptation practices. The problem confrontation index analysis showed that unpredictable weather, high cost of farm inputs, limited access to weather information, and lack of water resources were the most critical barriers to adaptation. This analysis of adaptation practices and constraints at farmer level will help facilitate government policy formulation and implementation.
Various studies have shown that Northern Ghana is one of the most vulnerable regions owing to climate variability. Several studies have also attempted assessing residents’ perceptions and coping strategies relative to climate change in the region. However, the majority have had this done quantitatively, which often precludes vital lived experiences and opinions of affected persons. This current study sought to explore how residents of Bankpama (a drought and flood prone community) in the Upper West Region of Ghana perceive climate-related stresses, and how they deal with them. The study was conducted qualitatively on 30 respondents using Focus Group Discussions and in-depth interviews. It was established that drought, floods, storms and weather temperature were increasing in severity and frequency with drought being the most felt. While some residents had some clues about the causes of these disasters including felling of trees, bushfires and the opening of Bagre dam, others perceived them as an act of God or gods. Local residents coped and adapted by planting drought resistant crops, altering cropping calendars, rearing of livestock, going into shea butter processing, charcoal burning, planting of trees to serve as windbreaks, and depending on social networks for help. Keywords: Local Residents, Perceptions, Climate, Disasters, Adaptation/Coping
Rural population in West Africa represents one of the largest vulnerable groups in the world and this vulnerability emanates from the change and variability of the climate over the years. Agriculture in Northern Ghana is rain-fed and the rural population lack adequate resources to adapt to the changing climate. This paper focuses on farm households' perception of their vulnerability to climate change and copping strategies. Four farming communities in the Wa-West District were purposively selected for the study. The study was basically qualitative which employed Participatory Rural Appraisal methods including interview and Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) in the data collection. A total of 20 farmers were interviewed and 8 FGDs were conducted. The data was analyzed through transcription, detailed description and paraphrasing. Results of the study indicates that farmers generally agreed that there is a change in climate marked by increasing temperatures, shortened rainy season, prolonged dry season, erratic rainfall pattern and high incidence of drought. Farmers attribute the occurrence of these climatic conditions to illicit activities such as incessant armed robbery, killing of innocent people, adultery and people having sex in the bush which made the gods and ancestors of the land angry and therefore changes in climatic elements are punishment from the gods and ancestors. Farm households adopted varied copping strategies to reduce their vulnerability to climate change including sale of their casual labour, charcoal making, petty trading, pito brewing, shea nut collection, shea butter extraction and temporary out-migration to seek for " greener pastures ". It is recommended that the Ghana Meteorological Service Department should collaborate with the local radio stations to broadcast weather forecast in the local languages targeted at rural farmers so that they could properly plan their farming activities during the rainy season.
The effects of climate change on people's livelihoods are perceived differently across various localities. It is imperative to examine how farmers understand the effects of climate change on their livelihoods. Their viewpoints can help create strategies for responding to climate and ecosystem changes in an appropriate and practical manner. Such perceptions are insufficiently understood in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region of Ghana, despite the increasing frequency and magnitude of climate change's effects. This paper first examines farmers' perceptions about climate change in their communities in relation to available, conventional climate information. It also assesses farmers' livelihood activities during both the wet and dry seasons in the district and discusses the area's proneness to floods, droughts, and other types of climate change phenomena. This assessment reveals the challenges faced by the farmers in the study area and the opportunities to enhance their livelihoods.
Climate Change and Rural Female Farmers in Ghana: A Study of the Wenchi Municipality
Climate change poses a major threat to development in most low and middle-income countries, especially the sub – Saharan Africa. Wurompo is a small farming community in the Wenchi Municipality of the Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana that depends on rain-fed agriculture activities for livelihood. In recent years, droughts, unpredictable rainfall pattern and crop failure have become common in the area. The study assessed knowledge and awareness, effects of climate change on female farmers, and their adaptation strategies. A case study in design, qualitative methods were used to collect data from 50 purposefully selected participants. Data were analyzed using themes and sub-themes generated from the research questions. Findings showed lack of adequate information and knowledge on climate change and its effects. Climate change has impacted negatively on these farmers stemming from decline in crop production and unavailability of adequate water supply in due season. Challenges to climate chan...