SMALLHOLDER FARMERS’ ADAPTATION TO RAINFALL VARIABILITY IN NORTHERN GHANA

Irregular rainfall pattern pose challenges to smallholder farmers in Ghana, especially, those in the Northern Region, who risk losing their major source of livelihood as a result of the devastating impacts of climate change. To ensure food and livelihood security, smallholder farmers adopt indigenous and modern soil and water conservation strategies. This study therefore examined the influencing factors of adaptation to irregular rainfall pattern and the challenges therein. A cross sectional data of 140 households from five (5) randomly selected districts in the Northern region of Ghana was used. Results of a Negative Binomial Regression showed that access to extension services and credit positively influenced the number of adaptation strategies to irregular rainfall pattern. Also, quantity harvested, gender and age negatively influenced the number of adaptation strategies adopted by a farmer. Consistently, lack of credit was the first major constraint to climate adaptation among the farmers. The study recommends that extension services, credit facilities as well as education of smallholder farmers should be intensified to promote adaptation to the rainfall patterns in the region. Also, government’s effort is needed in developing irrigation facilities to aid smallholder farmers to offset the potential effects of climate change. Overall, this study provides suggestions to policy makers on how to improve climate adaptation in the region. Future studies should examine forms and effectiveness of climate change communication, since effective communication is imperative to the adoption of modern agricultural practices

FARMERS CHOICE OF ADAPTATION STRATEGIES TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND VARIABILITY IN ARID REGION OF GHANA

This study used multinomial logit regression to determine the factors that influence farmers’ choice of adaptation strategies to climate change and variability of farmers in Savelugu-Nanton district, Northern region of Ghana. A simple random sampling was used to select 180 farmers. The data was analysed using a Multinomial logit regression model. From the results, the level of climate change and variability awareness was high and the adaptation strategies identified were mixed cropping, change crop varieties, changing planting time/date, soil conservation techniques, increased irrigation, increased female livestock herd, and seasonal migration. Farmers confirmed empirically observations that climate change would lead to a reduction in crop production. Also, gender, age, education, household size, farming experience, access to extension, access to credit, access to mobile phone and perceived decreased rainfall influenced farmers’ choices of a particular adaptation strategy. The findings support and justified calls for education of farmers on climate change and variability

Fertilizer use efficiency and economic viability in maize production in the Savannah and transitional zones of Ghana

Increasing fertilizer use is highly justified for sustainable agricultural intensification if yield response, fertilizer use efficiency (FUE), and economic viability of fertilizer application are high. Despite the increasing fertilizer application rates in Ghana, yields only marginally increased. Also, the recent fertilizer price hikes post COVID-19 revived concern for economic analysis of fertilizers. This study analyzed the FUE and economic viability of fertilizer use in maize production in Guinea/Sudan Savannah and Transitional/Deciduous zones of Ghana. Survey data from 2,673 farmers in the 2019, 2020, and 2021 production seasons were used. The average agronomic efficiency (AE), partial factor productivity (PFP), and value-cost ratio (VCR) of fertilizer use were 2.2 kg of grains per kilogram of fertilizer, 18.3 kg grains per kilogram of fertilizer, and 1.8 Ghana cedis of marginal yield per Ghana cedi spent on fertilizer, respectively. Fertilizer use was economically viable for only 28.1% of farmers with a VCR of 2 or higher, while 52.5% reached the break-even point with a VCR of at least 1. Various fertilizer formulations, including NPK plus sulfur, and adoption of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) practices, particularly improved seeds, organic fertilizers, and minimum tillage, improved maize yield response to fertilizer and thus the FUE. These low efficiency and economic viability of fertilizer use are prevailing conditions in other sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries and these do not guarantee sustainable food security and improved livelihood of the farmers in the region. Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), together with relevant stakeholders, should provide guidance on ISFM and intensify farmer education through farmer associations to increase the adoption of ISFM. The local government should work with other relevant stakeholders to improve the market conditions within the agriculture sector, for instance, by linking farmers to city markets for favorable output prices

GENDER PERSPECTIVES OF THE DETERMINANTS OF CLIMATE ADAPTATION: THE CASE OF LIVELIHOOD DIVERSIFICATION IN NORTHERN GHANA

Livelihood diversification is one of the essential climate adaptation strategies with positive outcomes on household’s standard of living. Therefore, the identification of factors that are necessary for livelihood diversification are crucial. Within a gender perspective, this study analysed the determinants of livelihood diversification among farmers in the northern regions of Ghana. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 619 farmers and the data was analysed using multivariate probit regression for the pooled and separately for the gender groups. The livelihood diversification strategies identified were crop diversification, crop-livestock diversification, crop-trade diversification, crop-agro-processing diversification and crop-professional/skilled employment. The multivariate probit results showed that socioeconomic, institutional factors, climate factors, and household assets have significant influence on each diversification strategy. The assumption of gender difference in the factors that influences livelihood diversification is appropriate since some factors which influence specific livelihood diversification for females do not have significant effect on males. Improving the financial assets, social and human assets of farmers is important to enhance the diversification of farmers. There is also the need to improve awareness of farmers on climate shocks in order to enhance diversification decisions

Une Approche Genrée des déterminants de l'adaptation au climat: le cas de la diversification des moyens de subsistance au Nord du Ghana

International audienceLivelihood diversification is one of the essential climate adaptation strategies with positive outcomes on household's standard of living. Therefore, the identification of factors that are necessary for livelihood diversification are crucial. Within a gender perspective, this study analysed the determinants of livelihood diversification among farmers in the northern regions of Ghana. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 619 farmers and the data was analysed using multivariate probit regression for the pooled and separately for the gender groups. The livelihood diversification strategies identified were crop diversification, crop-livestock diversification, crop-trade diversification, crop-agro-processing diversification and crop-professional/skilled employment. The multivariate probit results showed that socioeconomic, institutional factors, climate factors, and household assets have significant influence on each diversification strategy. The assumption of gender difference in the factors that influences livelihood diversification is appropriate since some factors which influence specific livelihood diversification for females do not have significant effect on males. Improving the financial assets, social and human assets of farmers is important to enhance the diversification of farmers. There is also the need to improve awareness of farmers on climate shocks in order to enhance diversification decisions

Effect of Urea Deep Placement Technology Adoption on the Production Frontier: Evidence from Irrigation Rice Farmers in the Northern Region of Ghana

Rice is an important staple crop, with current demand higher than the domestic supply in Ghana. This has led to a high and unfavourable import bill. Therefore, recent policies and interventions in the agricultural sub-sector aim at promoting various improved agricultural technologies in order to improve domestic production and reduce the importation of rice. In this study, we examined the effect of the adoption of Urea Deep Placement (UDP) technology by rice farmers on the position of the production frontier. This involved 200 farmers selected through a multi stage sampling technique in the Northern region of Ghana. A Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier model was fitted. The result showed that the adoption of UDP technology shifts the output frontier outward and also move the farmers closer to the frontier. Farmers were also operating under diminishing returns to scale which calls for redress. Other factors that significantly influenced rice production were farm size, labour, use of certified seeds and NPK fertilizer. Although there was an opportunity for improvement, the farmers were highly efficient (92%), compared to previous studies. Farmers' efficiency was improved through increased education, household size, experience, access to credit, and lack of extension service provision by MoFA. The study recommends the revision of Ghana's agricultural policy to include the UDP technology. Agricultural Extension officers of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) should be trained on the UDP technology to support IFDC's drive to improve adoption by rice farmers. Rice farmers are also encouraged to expand their farm lands, improve plant population, and also increase the usage of fertilizer to improve yields. Mechanisms through which credit can be made easily accessible and effectively utilised should be identified and promoted

FARMERS CHOICE OF ADAPTATION STRATEGIES TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND VARIABILITY IN ARID REGION OF GHANA

This study used multinomial logit regression to determine the factors that influence farmers’ choice of adaptation strategies to climate change and variability of farmers in Savelugu-Nanton district, Northern region of Ghana. A simple random sampling was used to select 180 farmers. The data was analysed using a Multinomial logit regression model. From the results, the level of climate change and variability awareness was high and the adaptation strategies identified were mixed cropping, change crop varieties, changing planting time/date, soil conservation techniques, increased irrigation, increased female livestock herd, and seasonal migration. Farmers confirmed empirically observations that climate change would lead to a reduction in crop production. Also, gender, age, education, household size, farming experience, access to extension, access to credit, access to mobile phone and perceived decreased rainfall influenced farmers’ choices of a particular adaptation strategy. The findings support and justified calls for education of farmers on climate change and variability

Explaining the Effects of Socioeconomic and Housing Characteristics on the Choice of Toilet Facilities among Ghanaian Households

Open defecation remains a major environmental sanitation challenge facing all areas of Ghana. This notwithstanding, the socioeconomic drivers of this phenomenon are overlooked. This study, therefore, analysed the factors that influence the choice of toilet facilities over the practice of open defecation in the country. Ghana Living Standard Survey round 7 (GLSS7) data were analysed using multinomial logit regression. From the data, a majority of households used improved toilet facilities (WC, KVIP, and pit latrines with slab) in Ghana and over one-fourth of households engaged in open defecation. The regression result revealed that the choice of toilet facilities over the practice of open defecation was significantly influenced by the sex of the household head, age, household size, education, marital status, locating in urban areas, regional locations, ownership of dwelling, type of dwelling, expenditure on rent, expenditure quintile, and per capita consumption expenditure of the household. Specifically, male, younger, less educated, and first income-quintile household heads have higher probability of practicing open defecation in Ghana. These variables point to specific policy directions that should be corrected or targeted to minimize, if not eliminate, the practice of open defecation in the country. The Media Coalition Campaign against Open Defecation should be intensified and directed towards the males, youths, and the less educated populace. This study also justified that calls for Ghanaians to change their attitudes or behavior towards open defecation are mere rhetoric if such calls are not defined within the socioeconomic conditions of the people of the area

THE LONG-RUN ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT OF AQUACULTURE AND FOOD TRADE IN EGYPT

This research analyses the effects of aquaculture and food trade on the environmental quality in Egypt within the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) Hypothesis. Using an annual time series data from 1971-2014 and employing the fully modified ordinary least squares and the Autoregressive distributed lag techniques, the study finds that the EKC hypothesis holds for carbon dioxide emission and economic growth while there is a U-shape relationship between deforestation and economic growth. Also, livestock production increases carbon dioxide emission and deforestation; urbanization reduces carbon emission and cereal production reduces carbon emission but increases deforestation. Aquaculture has a positive effect on carbon emission but reduces deforestation and food import is seen to reduce carbon emission. These findings were confirmed by results from variance decomposition effect and impulse response analyses. The outcome implies that addressing environmental degradation through these variables cannot be a ‘one-size fit all’ approach. Instead, the approach must be considered based on the primary environmental cost a particular policy seeks to address. Among others, it is recommended that there is the need for Egyptian government to adopt comparative and/or competitive advantage food trade policies in order to solidify the carbon reducing effect of food import

Greenhouse gasses emission and economic growth nexus of sub-Saharan Africa

Notwithstanding the lesser contribution to global warming, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remained one of the most vulnerable to climate change due to low economic development, high dependence on natural resources for agricultural production and low technological advancement. There is also limited information on the nexus between economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the region. Therefore, this study applied the Environmental Kuznets hypothesis to test the relationship between economic growth and GHG emissions in SSA and also test the effect of global GHG emission on economic growth of SSA. Using an aggregated panel data for the period of 1970 to 2012, a Vector Autoregressive and an Ordinary Least Square regression were estimated. From the result, although the relationship between economic growth and environmental quality was established in the short run, there are no clear turning points for the greenhouse gasses. Generally, there is a monotonic decreasing relationship between economic growth and environmental quality in the long-run. Interestingly, this study showed that global GHG emission levels have a long-run effect on the economic growth of SSA. We concluded that to ensure that economic growth leads to an improvement in environmental quality, there must be a global effort to introduce innovations and technologies that can lead to increase production with little GHG emissions. The study recommended that, SSA should consider carbon tax policies other than stringent GHG emission reduction initiatives or climate stabilization policies that would negatively affect production in the region. Keywords: Economic growth, Environmental Kuznets curve, Greenhouse gas, Sub-Saharan Africa, Vector autoregressiv