The role of farmers and organizational networks in climate information communication: the case of Ghana
Purpose – The nature of the collaborations that exists among the organizations in the climate change and agriculture sectors can influence the tailoring of climate forecasts into information useable for adapting agricultural practices to the risks posed by climate change. Also, the extent to which f...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Emerald Publishing
2021-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJCCSM-04-2020-0030/full/pdf?title=the-role-of-farmers-and-organizational-networks-in-climate-information-communication-the-case-of-ghana |
| _version_ | 1811269753398886400 |
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| author | Chidiebere Ofoegbu Mark New |
| author_facet | Chidiebere Ofoegbu Mark New |
| author_sort | Chidiebere Ofoegbu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose – The nature of the collaborations that exists among the organizations in the climate change and agriculture sectors can influence the tailoring of climate forecasts into information useable for adapting agricultural practices to the risks posed by climate change. Also, the extent to which farmers are integrated into this organizational collaboration network can influence their access to climate information. This paper aims to examine how organizational collaborations in the process of climate information generation and dissemination acts as either barriers or enablers of farmers’ access to and use of climate information in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach – This study used key informant interview and questionnaire survey to interview the organizations in the climate change and agriculture sectors. Using network analysis as an analytical framework, the authors estimated the networks’ core-periphery, density, reciprocity and degree centrality. Findings – The authors observed that communication of climate information to farmers is mostly influenced by the collaborations between governmental organizations and nongovernmental organizations. Nevertheless, information flow and exchange through organizational collaboration network is having limited effect on improving farmers’ knowledge about climate risks, impacts and available risk response options. This is mostly because the feedback flow of information from farmers to national level organizations has not been effective in addressing localized climate/agro challenges. Originality/value – This paper provides a critical overview of key issues in influencing the relevancy and usefulness of climate information in the Ghanaian agriculture sector. Insights gained and recommendations made are essential for deploying effective climate services in Ghana and can be relevant for many African countries because of similar socioeconomic contexts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:47:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ae15dd98c40141bc84d65cb9be277e34 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-8692 1756-8706 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:47:40Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Emerald Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management |
| spelling | doaj.art-ae15dd98c40141bc84d65cb9be277e342022-12-22T03:15:34ZengEmerald PublishingInternational Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management1756-86921756-87062021-01-01131193410.1108/IJCCSM-04-2020-0030658182The role of farmers and organizational networks in climate information communication: the case of GhanaChidiebere Ofoegbu0Mark New1Swedish Species Information Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden and African Climate and Development Initiative, University of Cape Town, South AfricaAfrican Climate and Development Initiative, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South AfricaPurpose – The nature of the collaborations that exists among the organizations in the climate change and agriculture sectors can influence the tailoring of climate forecasts into information useable for adapting agricultural practices to the risks posed by climate change. Also, the extent to which farmers are integrated into this organizational collaboration network can influence their access to climate information. This paper aims to examine how organizational collaborations in the process of climate information generation and dissemination acts as either barriers or enablers of farmers’ access to and use of climate information in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach – This study used key informant interview and questionnaire survey to interview the organizations in the climate change and agriculture sectors. Using network analysis as an analytical framework, the authors estimated the networks’ core-periphery, density, reciprocity and degree centrality. Findings – The authors observed that communication of climate information to farmers is mostly influenced by the collaborations between governmental organizations and nongovernmental organizations. Nevertheless, information flow and exchange through organizational collaboration network is having limited effect on improving farmers’ knowledge about climate risks, impacts and available risk response options. This is mostly because the feedback flow of information from farmers to national level organizations has not been effective in addressing localized climate/agro challenges. Originality/value – This paper provides a critical overview of key issues in influencing the relevancy and usefulness of climate information in the Ghanaian agriculture sector. Insights gained and recommendations made are essential for deploying effective climate services in Ghana and can be relevant for many African countries because of similar socioeconomic contexts.https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJCCSM-04-2020-0030/full/pdf?title=the-role-of-farmers-and-organizational-networks-in-climate-information-communication-the-case-of-ghanaadaptationfarmersclimate changeknowledge networkslivelihoodnetworks |
| spellingShingle | Chidiebere Ofoegbu Mark New The role of farmers and organizational networks in climate information communication: the case of Ghana International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management adaptation farmers climate change knowledge networks livelihood networks |
| title | The role of farmers and organizational networks in climate information communication: the case of Ghana |
| title_full | The role of farmers and organizational networks in climate information communication: the case of Ghana |
| title_fullStr | The role of farmers and organizational networks in climate information communication: the case of Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of farmers and organizational networks in climate information communication: the case of Ghana |
| title_short | The role of farmers and organizational networks in climate information communication: the case of Ghana |
| title_sort | role of farmers and organizational networks in climate information communication the case of ghana |
| topic | adaptation farmers climate change knowledge networks livelihood networks |
| url | https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJCCSM-04-2020-0030/full/pdf?title=the-role-of-farmers-and-organizational-networks-in-climate-information-communication-the-case-of-ghana |
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