Climate variability indicators - scientific data versus farmers perception; evidence from southern Ghana

Figures & data

Table 1. Summary of related literature

Theme	References
Studies on farmers perception of climate trends with the objective data in Africa.	Dadzie (2021), Yaro (2013); Osbahr et al. (2011); Akponikpè, Gérard, et al. (2010); Gbetibouo (2009)
Adaptation to climate change based on farmers subjective perception globally.	Abid et al. (2015); Ajuang et al. (2016); Lee et al. (2015); Li et al. (2013); Mamba (2016); Owusu et al. (2019); Roco et al. (2015).
Studies that focus on the scientific data for analysis and prediction based on temperature and rainfall	Addisu et al., (2015); Asare-Nuamah et al. (2019); MacKellar et al. (2014); Mengistu et al. (2014)
Studies that show right alignment of farmers subjective perception and the objective data	Akponikpè, Johnston, et al. (2010); Osbahr et al., 2011; Yaro (2013). Alam et al. (2018), Ayal and Leal Filho (2017); Niles and Mueller (2016); Simelton et al. (2013), Ayal and Leal Filho (2017); Niles and Mueller (2016); Simelton et al. (2013)
Studies that show wrong alignment of farmers subjective perception and the objective data	Shameem et al. (2015), Ahsan and Brandt (2015), (Dhanya and Ramachandran (2016); Mekonnen et al. (2018)
Studies that show consensus between farmers subjective perception and the objective/scientific data.	Alam et al. (2017); Haque et al. (2012); Hasan et al. (2018); Shameem et al. (2015).
Studies that call for integration of farmer perception with the objective data	Ankrah et al. (2022); Heltberg et al. (2009); Mubiru et al. (2015); Tschakert et al. (2014); Van Griensven et al. (2016)

Figure 1. Map of cape coast metropolitan assembly showing study communities.source: centre for remote and geographic information services, 2021.

Figure 2. Sampling framework.

Table 2. Farmers demographic characteristics

Variables	Percentage (%)
sex
Male	15
Female	85
Total	100
Marital Status
Single	19
Married	66
Divorced	7
Widow	8
Total	100
Education
Basic School	21
SHS/Secondary	5
Technical/Vocational	3
Non-formal	67
Tertiary	4
Total	100

Source: Fieldwork, 2021.

Table 3. Summary statistics of continuous variables

Continuous Variable	Mean	Std. Dev.	Min.	Max.
Income (GH¢)	2693	1313.33	960	8400
Farm experience (years)	13.41	5.41	2	30
Farm size (hectares)	1.08	0.59	0.4	4
Maize yield (tonnes)	1.12	0.548	0.4	3.5

Source: Field survey, 2021.

Table 4. Summary statistics of climate variables

Climate factors	Mean	Std. Dev.	Minimum	Maximum	CV
Rainfall (mm)	1044.06	215.75	817.4	1360.8	0.21
Sunshine (Hrs/year)	197.80	8.75	176.90	210.10	0.04
Max. Temp (°C)	29.76	0.98	27.50	31.12	0.03
Min. Temp (°C)	21.94	2.66	18.09	25.83	0.12

Source: GMeT, 2021

Figure 3. Rainfall trend in the cape coast metropolis (2009–2018). Source: Ghana meteorological agency (GMeT), 2021.

Figure 4. Sunshine trend in the cape coast metropolis (2009–2018). Source: Ghana meteorological agency (GMeT), 2021.

Figure 5. Minimum temperature trend in the Cape Coast Metropolis (2009–2018). Source: Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMeT), 2021.

Figure 6. Maximum temperature trend in the Cape Coast Metropolis (2009–2018). Source: Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMeT), 2021.

Table 5. Smallholder farmers perception of climate variables

Farmers Perception of Climate Variables	Level of Agreement Frequency Responses
	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Strongly Agree
Increase in rainfall over the past 10 years	20	148	8	14	7
	(10%)	(75%)	(4%)	(7%)	(4%)
Increase in temperature over the past 10	4	29	9	126	29
	(2%)	(15%)	(4%)	(64%)	(15%)
Increase in sunshine over the past 10 years	8	9	4	67	109
	(4%)	(5%)	(2%)	(34%)	(55%)

Source: Fieldwork, 2021.

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