Top > JDR > Farmer-Perceived Effects of Climate Change on Livelihoods in ...

single-dr.php

JDR Vol.9 No.4 pp. 516-528
(2014)
doi: 10.20965/jdr.2014.p0516

Paper:

Views over last 60 days: 1,148

Farmer-Perceived Effects of Climate Change on Livelihoods in Wa West District, Upper West Region of Ghana

Yasuko Kusakari*1, Kwabena Owusu Asubonteng*2,
Godfred Seidu Jasaw*3, Frederick Dayour*4, Togbiga Dzivenu*4,
Victor Lolig*4, Samuel A. Donkoh*4, Francis Kwabena Obeng*4,
Bizoola Gandaa*4, and Gordana Kranjac-Berisavljevic*4

*1Graduate Program in Sustainability Science – Global Leadership Initiative (GPSS-GLI), The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba, Japan

*2United Nations University – Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA), Ghana

*3United Nations University – Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), Japan

*4University for Development Studies (UDS), Ghana

Received:
February 2, 2014
Accepted:
July 3, 2014
Published:
August 1, 2014
Creative Commons License
Keywords:
climate change, farmers, perceptions, livelihoods, Upper West Region, Ghana
Abstract
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 theWa 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.
Cite this article as:
Y. Kusakari, K. Asubonteng, G. Jasaw, F. Dayour, T. Dzivenu, V. Lolig, S. Donkoh, F. Obeng, B. Gandaa, and G. Kranjac-Berisavljevic, “Farmer-Perceived Effects of Climate Change on Livelihoods in Wa West District, Upper West Region of Ghana,” J. Disaster Res., Vol.9 No.4, pp. 516-528, 2014.
Data files:
References
  1. [1] IPCC, “Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,” (Eds. Core Writing Team, R. K. Pachauri and A. Reisinger), Geneva: IPCC, 2007.
  2. [2] M. Boko, I. Niang, A. Nyong, C. Vogel, A. Githeko, M. Medany, B. Osman-Elasha, R. Tabo, and P. Yanda, “Africa. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,” M. L. Parry, O. F. Canziani,J. P. Palutikof, P. J. van der Linden, and C. E. Hanson (Eds.), Cambridge UK; Cambridge University Press, pp. 433-467, 2007.
  3. [3] Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) of Ghana, “Ghana Goes for Green Growth: Discussion document – Summary” Accra: MEST, pp. 8-15, 2010.
  4. [4] A. J. Stanturf, M. L. Warren Jr., S. Charnley, S. C. Polasky, S. L. Goodrick, F. Armah, and Y. A. Nyako, “Ghana Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment,” NW: USAID, 2011,
    http://www.encapafrica.org/documents/biofor/Climate%20Change%20Assessment_Ghana_%20FINAL.pdf [accessed January 31, 2014]
  5. [5] G. T. Yengoh, F. A. Armah, E. E. Onumah, J. O. Odoi, “Trends in Agriculturally-Relevant Rainfall Characteristics for Small-Scale Agriculture in Northern Ghana,” Journal of Agricultural Science, Vol.2, No.3, pp. 3-16, September 2010.
  6. [6] P. Luni, K. L. Maharjan, and N. P. Joshi, “Perceptions and Realities of Climate Change among the Chepong Communities in Rural Mid-Hills of Nepal,” in Journal of Contemporary India Studies: Space and Society, Vol.2, pp. 35-50, Hiroshima: Hiroshima University, 2012.
  7. [7] E. Simelton, C. H. Quinn, N. Batisani, A. J. Dougill, J. C. Dyer, E. D. G. Fraser, D. Mkwambisi, S. Sallu, and L. C. Stringer, “Is rainfall really changing? Farmers’ perceptions, meteorological data, and policy implications,” Climate and Development, 2013, DOI:10.1080/17565529.2012.751893.
  8. [8] S. A. Legesse, “Farmers perceptions and adaptation to climate change in Ethiopia,” IEEE Potentials, 2013.
  9. [9] P. H. Lindsay and D. A. Norman, “Human information processing: an introduction to psychology,” New York: Academic Press, 1972.
  10. [10] T. Hartig, F. G. Kaiser, and P. A. Bowler, “Psychological Restoration In Nature As A Positive Motivation For Ecological Behavior,” Environment And Behavior, Vol.33, No.4, pp. 590-607, Sage Publications, July, 2001.
  11. [11] J. S. Juana, Z. Kahaka, and F. N. Okurut, “Farmers’ Perceptions and Adaptations to Climate Change in Sub-Sahara Africa: A Synthesis of Empirical Studies and Implications for Public Policy in African Agriculture,” Journal of Agricultural Science, Vol.5, No.4, 2013.
  12. [12] R. Chambers and G. Conway, “Sustainable rural livelihoods: practical concepts for the 21st century,” IDS Discussion Paper, No.296, Brighton, IDS, pp. 7-8, 1992.
  13. [13] D. Carney (Ed.), “Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: What Contribution Can We Make?,” London: Department for International Development, 1998.
  14. [14] C. Ashley and S. Maxwell, “Rethinking Rural Development,” Development Policy Review, Vol.19, No.4, pp. 395-425, 2001.
  15. [15] F. Ellis, “Rural Livelihoods and Diversity in Developing Countries,” New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.
  16. [16] D. M. Diggs, “Drought Experience and Perception of Climatic Change among Great Plains Farmers,” Great Plains Research, A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences, Paper 1, 1991.
  17. [17] E. Bunting, J. Steele, E. Keys, S.Muyengwa, B. Child, and J. Southworth, “Local Perception of Risk to Livelihoods in the Semi-Arid Landscape of Southern Africa,” in Land 2013, Vol.2, pp. 225-251.
  18. [18] L. O. Naess, M. Sullivan, J. Khinmaung, P. Crahay, and A. Otzelberger, “Changing Climates Changing Lives: Adaptation Strategies of Pastoral and Agro-Pastoral Communities in Ethiopia and Mali,” ACF International, IDS, Tearfund, IER, A-Z COUNSULT, ODES, 2010.
  19. [19] WaWest District Assembly (WWDA), “WaWest District Medium-Term Development Plan 2006-2009,” Wechiau: WWDA 2007.
  20. [20] FAO, “Irrigation potential in Africa: A basin approach,” 1997,
    available at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/w4347e/w4347e0u.htm [accessed January 31, 2014]
  21. [21] Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), “2010 Population and Housing Census,” Accra, GSS, 2010.
  22. [22] WaWest District Assembly (WWDA), “WaWest District Medium-Term Development Plan 2010-2013,” Wechiau: WWDA, 2012a.
  23. [23] WaWest District Assembly (WWDA), “WaWest District Assembly Population Projection for 2012 based on 2010 Census,” Wechiau, WWDA, 2012b.

Creative Commons License  This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationa License.

*This site is desgined based on HTML5 and CSS3 for modern browsers, e.g. Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera.

Last updated on Apr. 22, 2024