‘What we were running from is what we’re facing again’: examining the paradox of migration as a livelihood improvement strategy among migrant women farmers in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana

ABSTRACT

Migration to the Brong-Ahafo Region (BAR) of Ghana is a popular adaptation strategy employed by subsistence farmers in Upper West Region (UWR) in coping with environmental degradation, poverty and food insecurity. Women are migrating, as well as joining their partners in rural farming areas of the BAR in increasing numbers. Most previous research on migration in this context has focused on men. Informed by a Feminist Political Ecology (FPE) perspective, this paper uses a qualitative approach in examining the lived experiences of migrant women. The findings show that migrant women reap limited economic benefits from migration. This is mainly due to economic, structural and cultural barriers that hinder women’s autonomy and their effective utilisation of agricultural and food resources in the migration destination. These findings highlight the need to reassess current laws around land ownership and use in Ghana, to optimise benefits for women. In addition, agricultural intervention programmes should involve both migrant women and men, and take into account cultural contexts. Finally, enabling alternative non-farming livelihoods would empower migrant women economically.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender
• migration
• agriculture
• Feminist Political Ecology
• Ghana

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Western Graduate Research Scholarship, Western ROLA Fund and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee scholarship for funding this study. We would also like to thank the Research Assistants in Ghana, for helping with the data collection for this manuscript. Finally, we say a big thank you to our research participants for sharing their experiences with us.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Ethics approval was obtained from the university of XXX for the study.

2. By-day is jargon referring to the process whereby peasant farmers labour on other people’s farms for a daily wage.

3. Pito: A beer brewed using fermented sorghum/millet.

4. Akpeteshie: An alcoholic spirit made from distilled palm wine or sugar cane juice.

5. Susu adaka is an initiative in most rural communities of BAR where women pool little amounts of money which they borrow from when in need. Women are organised into groups of 10–40 members, and regular meetings held to record contributions. Monies contributed are locked in a safe kept by one member of the group and the keys to the safe by another member.

6. Imprest: periodic funds used to run organisations .

7. Gari: A traditional West African meal made from cassava that is milled and fried into a flaky form.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Western Internal Grant [R3652A25].

Notes on contributors

Jemima Nomunume Baada

Jemima Nomunume Baada, is a PhD student in the Department of Women’s Studies and Feminist Research at the University of Western Ontario. Her research examines the dual effects of climate change and multilateral investment on internal migration and rural livelihoods in Ghana. Jemima is also interested in understanding how gender mediates the experiences of migrants and rural dwellers.

Bipasha Baruah

Dr Bipasha Baruah, is a professor and the Canada Research Chair in Global Women’s Issues in the Department of Women’s Studies and Feminist Research at the University of Western Ontario. Dr Baruah conducts interdisciplinary research on gender, development and globalization; women and work; and social, political and economic inequality. She serves frequently as an expert reviewer, consultant and advisor to international development and environmental protection organizations.

Isaac Luginaah

Dr Isaac Luginaah, is a professor and former Canada Research Chair in Health Geography in the Department of Geography at the University of Western Ontario. Dr Luginaah’s broad area of research interest includes environment and health, population health and GIS applications in health. His work involves an integrative understanding of the broad determinants of the population health and the evidence of environment and health linkages. Specifically, He is interested in the human health impacts of environmental exposure.