Farmers’ adaptation measures to climate variability and change: experiences of the Kintampo South District in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana

Every country is naturally concerned about the potential damages and benefits that may arise over the coming decades from climate change and variability impacts on its territory. There is a great concern about the global impact of climate change and variability on agricultural production. Climate change is expected to have serious environmental, economic and social impacts on Ghana in particular, rural farmers. The study examined farmers‟ adaptation measures to climate variability and change in the forest savannah transitional zone of the Kintampo South District of Ghana. The Kintampo South district‟s economy is 88% agrarian. The district has during the past 10-20 years witnessed highly variable and unpredictable rainfall seasons leading to the reduction in the output of main crops like maize and yam. A sample of 190 farmer household heads was selected from five communities within the Kintampo South district, using the systematic random sampling and snowball methods. A structured interview guide was used to interview four institutions which included the Kintampo South District Assembly, Kintampo South Department of Agriculture, Forestry Services Division and the Regional Meteorological Department. A questionnaire was also administered to the households. Quantitative data collected was edited and keyed into the Statistical Package for Service Solution (SPSSv16) and the results presented in tables and charts. Qualitative data was summarized in the write-up with direct quotes provided when required. The findings indicated that, the main climatic variables that have altered were rainfall and temperature. The prominent observed changes in rainfall were timing and intensity of the rainfall over the past years by 143 and 23 farmers respectively while the intensity of sunshine and drought conditions were the major observed changes in temperature by 108 and 48 farmers respectively. The factors identified to have caused some of these climatic changes were the indiscriminate felling of trees for timber and the destruction of forest cover by some community members through bush fires. The others were; bad farming practices and a prolonged dry season. These changes in climatic pattern were also noted to have affected the availability of water for farming activities and led to the frequent occurrence of hazards like bush fires, strong winds, drought, erosion and flooding. Some farmers have further realized reduced yields in major food crops like maize, yam and cassava and this has caused others to switch to the production of commercial tree crops like mango and cashew. A number of farmers however, combined the production of food crops with commercial tree crops in order to improve their livelihoods. There have been some positive outcomes from the changing climatic pattern like a prolonged cropping season which has enabled some access to food all year round as indicated by 53% of farmers. The hypothesis that, there was a significant relationship between climate change and variability and crop yield was rejected. The probability was less than 0.05 (r=0.104, p>0.05). Measures adopted by farmers to adapt to the varying climatic patterns included the engagement in off-farm and non-farm income generating activities like trading, charcoal production, hunting and driving. Others also relied on remittances from various family members living outside the district. At the farming level, measures employed to improve yields included the cultivation of new varieties of crops like the „Obaatanpa‟, „Okomasa‟ „Mamaba‟ varieties of maize and the „Asontem‟ variety of cassava. These practices among others have been initiated and supported through the World Vision International-Ghana, Kintampo South Department of Agriculture and other agencies operating in the district. The main mode of accessing land for farming was through family or by inheritance or by rent. Land owners were more likely than non-land owners to implement sustainable farming practices. Farmers who rented farm lands maximised yields at the expense of the forest resources. Studies have shown that the continuous degradation of the forest cover would perpetuate climate variability and change and have negative implications on farming in this vulnerable region. The study recommends support for deliberate policies designed for the spatial and temporal characteristics of the area concerned and the mainstreaming of traditional measures employed by the indigenes.

Source: KNUST