Exploring the autonomous adaptation strategies to climate change and climate variability in selected villages in the rural northern savannah zone of Ghana

Abstract

Evidence abounds attesting to changes in the global climate. In Ghana, climate change and climate variability have brought several exposure-sensitivities on different people and at different times. Due to the multiplicity of climate change and climate variability effects, adaptation strategies invariably could be influenced by several factors. This paper assesses the adoption of adaptation strategies in the rural northern savannah zone of Ghana as a result of climate change and variability. Using two villages each from Savelugu Nanton, West Mamprusi and Kassena Nankana East Districts, which are slightly different as case studies, the paper unearthed panoply of varied adaptation strategies in each of them including intensification of irrigation; integration of livestock production; changes in tillage practices; fertiliser application on farms; shift from agriculture to non-farm jobs; seasonal migration and purchase of drought insurance for maize. The results indicate that the relativity in adoption and utilisation of the different adaptive strategies are interlinked with geographical, social, economic, institutional and political factors and processes in the villages. The findings drum home the essentiality of location-specific planned adaptation strategies for climate change through a bottom-up approach, in order to ensure their effectiveness and sustainability.

Keywords:

• climate change
• autonomous adaptation
• planned adaptation
• rural northern savannah zone
• Ghana

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Exploring the autonomous adaptation strategies to climate change and climate variability in selected villages in the rural northern savannah zone of Ghana

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the reviewers of the article for their useful comments that helped in shaping the final version.

Notes

1. Under this programme, farmers buy subsidised fertiliser with region-specific and fertiliser-specific coupons distributed by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture through its District Directorates and extension officers (Yawson et al. 2010).

2. “Sanzali” is a word from the Dagomba tribe and means “let's come together and help”.

Additional information

Funding

We deeply appreciate the support of the Office of Research, Innovation and Development (ORID), University of Ghana, for funding the project [grant number URF/4/008/2011–2012] from which this article was written.