Climate change manifestations and adaptations in cocoa farms: Perspectives of smallholder farmers in the Adansi South District, Ghana
Climate change can have huge consequences for cocoa farming and the livelihoods of communities in tropical Africa, although evidence of such effects is scanty. This study evaluated the perceptions of smallholder cocoa farmers on climate change manifestations and adaptations in the Adansi South Distr...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | Current Research in Environmental Sustainability |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666049022000743 |
| _version_ | 1811188628844445696 |
|---|---|
| author | Alexander K. Anning Augustine Ofori-Yeboah Frank Baffour-Ata George Owusu |
| author_facet | Alexander K. Anning Augustine Ofori-Yeboah Frank Baffour-Ata George Owusu |
| author_sort | Alexander K. Anning |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climate change can have huge consequences for cocoa farming and the livelihoods of communities in tropical Africa, although evidence of such effects is scanty. This study evaluated the perceptions of smallholder cocoa farmers on climate change manifestations and adaptations in the Adansi South District, Ghana. The study involved a survey of 150 households and three focus group discussions from three communities in the district. The Mann-Kendall trend test was used to evaluate the rainfall and temperature trends for the period 1981–2019. The weighted average index (WAI) was used to determine the farmers' perception of climate change, its physical manifestation on their cocoa farms, and adaptation practices. While the district's temperature varied considerably from 1981 to 2019, only a marginal increase in annual rainfall was observed. The farmers correctly perceived the changes in climate (WAI = 2.07), evidenced by changes in rainfall patterns (1.76), frequent bushfires (1.68), and increasing intensity of the sun (1.65). Physical manifestations of these changes included increased dieback of cocoa trees (1.77), diseases and pest infestation (1.75), decreased yields (1.69), and stunted growth (1.65). Adaptation measures included early planting of cocoa seeds (1.87), intercropping (1.70), mulching (1.65), planting of drought-resistant varieties (1.64), and crop diversification (1.63). The adaptation measures were influenced by gender, age, education, and farming experience, among other socioeconomic factors. The findings suggest the need for relevant policies to educate cocoa farmers on the effects of climate change, highlighting the risks and benefits, and prioritizing key adaptation options for sustainable cocoa production in Ghana. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:23:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-445e003b67a34c23b296af6b9b624c35 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-0490 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:23:11Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Research in Environmental Sustainability |
| spelling | doaj.art-445e003b67a34c23b296af6b9b624c352022-12-22T04:19:00ZengElsevierCurrent Research in Environmental Sustainability2666-04902022-01-014100196Climate change manifestations and adaptations in cocoa farms: Perspectives of smallholder farmers in the Adansi South District, GhanaAlexander K. Anning0Augustine Ofori-Yeboah1Frank Baffour-Ata2George Owusu3Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Corresponding author.Department of Environmental Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Environmental Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Environmental Science, C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Navrongo, GhanaClimate change can have huge consequences for cocoa farming and the livelihoods of communities in tropical Africa, although evidence of such effects is scanty. This study evaluated the perceptions of smallholder cocoa farmers on climate change manifestations and adaptations in the Adansi South District, Ghana. The study involved a survey of 150 households and three focus group discussions from three communities in the district. The Mann-Kendall trend test was used to evaluate the rainfall and temperature trends for the period 1981–2019. The weighted average index (WAI) was used to determine the farmers' perception of climate change, its physical manifestation on their cocoa farms, and adaptation practices. While the district's temperature varied considerably from 1981 to 2019, only a marginal increase in annual rainfall was observed. The farmers correctly perceived the changes in climate (WAI = 2.07), evidenced by changes in rainfall patterns (1.76), frequent bushfires (1.68), and increasing intensity of the sun (1.65). Physical manifestations of these changes included increased dieback of cocoa trees (1.77), diseases and pest infestation (1.75), decreased yields (1.69), and stunted growth (1.65). Adaptation measures included early planting of cocoa seeds (1.87), intercropping (1.70), mulching (1.65), planting of drought-resistant varieties (1.64), and crop diversification (1.63). The adaptation measures were influenced by gender, age, education, and farming experience, among other socioeconomic factors. The findings suggest the need for relevant policies to educate cocoa farmers on the effects of climate change, highlighting the risks and benefits, and prioritizing key adaptation options for sustainable cocoa production in Ghana.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666049022000743Climate changeCocoa productionAdaptationGhana |
| spellingShingle | Alexander K. Anning Augustine Ofori-Yeboah Frank Baffour-Ata George Owusu Climate change manifestations and adaptations in cocoa farms: Perspectives of smallholder farmers in the Adansi South District, Ghana Current Research in Environmental Sustainability Climate change Cocoa production Adaptation Ghana |
| title | Climate change manifestations and adaptations in cocoa farms: Perspectives of smallholder farmers in the Adansi South District, Ghana |
| title_full | Climate change manifestations and adaptations in cocoa farms: Perspectives of smallholder farmers in the Adansi South District, Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Climate change manifestations and adaptations in cocoa farms: Perspectives of smallholder farmers in the Adansi South District, Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Climate change manifestations and adaptations in cocoa farms: Perspectives of smallholder farmers in the Adansi South District, Ghana |
| title_short | Climate change manifestations and adaptations in cocoa farms: Perspectives of smallholder farmers in the Adansi South District, Ghana |
| title_sort | climate change manifestations and adaptations in cocoa farms perspectives of smallholder farmers in the adansi south district ghana |
| topic | Climate change Cocoa production Adaptation Ghana |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666049022000743 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alexanderkanning climatechangemanifestationsandadaptationsincocoafarmsperspectivesofsmallholderfarmersintheadansisouthdistrictghana AT augustineoforiyeboah climatechangemanifestationsandadaptationsincocoafarmsperspectivesofsmallholderfarmersintheadansisouthdistrictghana AT frankbaffourata climatechangemanifestationsandadaptationsincocoafarmsperspectivesofsmallholderfarmersintheadansisouthdistrictghana AT georgeowusu climatechangemanifestationsandadaptationsincocoafarmsperspectivesofsmallholderfarmersintheadansisouthdistrictghana |