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Climate Change Adaptation Strategies and Constraints in Northern Ghana: Evidence of Farmers in Sissala West District

Author

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  • Clifford James Fagariba

    (School of Environment and Natural Resource Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan 430070, China)

  • Shaoxian Song

    (Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan 430070, China)

  • Serge Kevin Gildas Soule Baoro

    (School of Environment and Natural Resource Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan 430070, China)

Abstract

Research findings indicate that most African countries are vulnerable to climate change as a result of challenges such as poverty, weather extremes, and insufficient governmental agricultural support. For this reason, the researchers used the Sissala West District as a case study to determine factors influencing farmers’ adaptation to climate change and strategies used to avert climate change impact. A total of 330 small-scale farmers were sampled for survey and 150 key informants were used in focus group discussions. Utilizing the logistic regression model, the study indicated irregular rainfall, high temperature, weather information, and high evaporation as the factors that highly influenced farmers’ ability to adapt to climate change. A Weighted Average Index used to measure weather extremes revealed that drought and temperature had the highest level of occurrence. Furthermore, climate change adaptation strategies assessed in the study showed that agroforestry practices, drought-resistant crops, and mulching were the most preferred methods. The study concluded that farmers’ ability to adapt to climate change can be improved if the Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture intensify climate adaptation campaigns, increase access to weather information, and train farmers on adaptable strategies including, but not limited to, alternative sources of livelihood.

Suggested Citation

  • Clifford James Fagariba & Shaoxian Song & Serge Kevin Gildas Soule Baoro, 2018. "Climate Change Adaptation Strategies and Constraints in Northern Ghana: Evidence of Farmers in Sissala West District," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-18, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:5:p:1484-:d:145308
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. AZUMAH, Shaibu Baanni & MAHAMA, Abass & DONKOH, Samuel A., 2020. "Modelling The Determinants Of Adoption Of Multiple Climate Change Coping And Adaptation Strategies. A Micro Analysis Of Smallholder Farmers In Northern Ghana," Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics (RAAE), Faculty of Economics and Management, Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra, vol. 23(1), March.
    2. Hazem S. Kassem & Abdel Raouf Suleiman Bello & Bader M. Alotaibi & Fahd O. Aldosri & Gary S. Straquadine, 2019. "Climate Change Adaptation in the Delta Nile Region of Egypt: Implications for Agricultural Extension," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-22, January.
    3. Kamau M.W & Ndung’u C.K & Muriu Ng’ang’a F.W, 2020. "Factors Influencing Farmers’ Adaptations to Climate Variability and Extreme Events in Dry Kitui, Kenya," International Journal of Environmental Sciences & Natural Resources, Juniper Publishers Inc., vol. 24(1), pages 1-8, March.
    4. Aberham Darge & Jema Haji & Fekadu Beyene & Mengistu Ketema, 2023. "Smallholder Farmers’ Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in the Ethiopian Rift Valley: The Case of Home Garden Agroforestry Systems in the Gedeo Zone," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-19, June.
    5. Chukwudi Charles Olumba & Cynthia Nneka Olumba & Jonathan Okechukwu Alimba, 2021. "Constraints to urban agriculture in southeast Nigeria," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Lindumusa Myeni & Mokhele Edmond Moeletsi, 2020. "Factors Determining the Adoption of Strategies Used by Smallholder Farmers to Cope with Climate Variability in the Eastern Free State, South Africa," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-16, September.
    7. Philip Antwi-Agyei & Hanson Nyantakyi-Frimpong, 2021. "Evidence of Climate Change Coping and Adaptation Practices by Smallholder Farmers in Northern Ghana," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-18, January.
    8. Abera Nega & Tesema Dereje, 2019. "Perceptions and practices of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies among farmers in the Konta Special District, Ethiopia," Environmental & Socio-economic Studies, Sciendo, vol. 7(4), pages 1-16, December.
    9. Prince Maxwell Etwire & Isaac Koomson & Edward Martey, 2022. "Impact of climate change adaptation on farm productivity and household welfare," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 170(1), pages 1-27, January.

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