Aquaculture in troubled climate: Farmers’ perception of climate change and their adaptation

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing industries in the fisheries sector of Ghana, serving as a source of protein, food security, employment creation, economic growth and poverty reduction strategy. The aim of this paper is to assess the awareness level and perception as well as adaptation strat...

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Main Authors: Berchie Asiedu, Jenyo-Oni Adetola, Isaac Odame Kissi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2017-01-01
Series:Cogent Food & Agriculture
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2017.1296400
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author Berchie Asiedu
Jenyo-Oni Adetola
Isaac Odame Kissi
author_facet Berchie Asiedu
Jenyo-Oni Adetola
Isaac Odame Kissi
author_sort Berchie Asiedu
collection DOAJ
description Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing industries in the fisheries sector of Ghana, serving as a source of protein, food security, employment creation, economic growth and poverty reduction strategy. The aim of this paper is to assess the awareness level and perception as well as adaptation strategies adopted by small scale aquafarmers on climate change. Climatological data, namely, temperature, rainfall and relative humidity were collected for the period 1989–2015 from the Ghana Meteorological Agency and analysed to determine the trends. The study adopted stratification and simple random sampling technique in obtaining 40 respondents (aquafarmers and other stakeholders) from the Sunyani Aquaculture Zone through questionnaires administration. The analysis of the data utilised descriptive statistics. Findings of this study indicate that there have been significant changes in temperature, rainfall and relative humidity patterns. Aquafarmers have considerable knowledge on climate change from sources such as radio (36%), schools (24%) and television (20%). A number of adaptation strategies are employed by aquafarmers to deal with climate change, including, water management, construction of bore-holes, sitting farms close to water bodies, adjusting fish stocking time, and creation of embankment to avoid floods. Aquaculture extension education should be carried out regularly to enhance aquafarmers adaptation responses to the existing and potential negative impacts of climate change which is a threat to aquaculture production and sustainable livelihood.
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spelling doaj.art-cca955a3fc7f4f9297dc6b6b8c045a732022-12-21T23:02:00ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Food & Agriculture2331-19322017-01-013110.1080/23311932.2017.12964001296400Aquaculture in troubled climate: Farmers’ perception of climate change and their adaptationBerchie Asiedu0Jenyo-Oni Adetola1Isaac Odame Kissi2University of Energy and Natural ResourcesUniversity of IbadanUniversity of Energy and Natural ResourcesAquaculture is one of the fastest growing industries in the fisheries sector of Ghana, serving as a source of protein, food security, employment creation, economic growth and poverty reduction strategy. The aim of this paper is to assess the awareness level and perception as well as adaptation strategies adopted by small scale aquafarmers on climate change. Climatological data, namely, temperature, rainfall and relative humidity were collected for the period 1989–2015 from the Ghana Meteorological Agency and analysed to determine the trends. The study adopted stratification and simple random sampling technique in obtaining 40 respondents (aquafarmers and other stakeholders) from the Sunyani Aquaculture Zone through questionnaires administration. The analysis of the data utilised descriptive statistics. Findings of this study indicate that there have been significant changes in temperature, rainfall and relative humidity patterns. Aquafarmers have considerable knowledge on climate change from sources such as radio (36%), schools (24%) and television (20%). A number of adaptation strategies are employed by aquafarmers to deal with climate change, including, water management, construction of bore-holes, sitting farms close to water bodies, adjusting fish stocking time, and creation of embankment to avoid floods. Aquaculture extension education should be carried out regularly to enhance aquafarmers adaptation responses to the existing and potential negative impacts of climate change which is a threat to aquaculture production and sustainable livelihood.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2017.1296400adaptation strategiesaquafarmersghanasmall scaleweather
spellingShingle Berchie Asiedu
Jenyo-Oni Adetola
Isaac Odame Kissi
Aquaculture in troubled climate: Farmers’ perception of climate change and their adaptation
Cogent Food & Agriculture
adaptation strategies
aquafarmers
ghana
small scale
weather
title Aquaculture in troubled climate: Farmers’ perception of climate change and their adaptation
title_full Aquaculture in troubled climate: Farmers’ perception of climate change and their adaptation
title_fullStr Aquaculture in troubled climate: Farmers’ perception of climate change and their adaptation
title_full_unstemmed Aquaculture in troubled climate: Farmers’ perception of climate change and their adaptation
title_short Aquaculture in troubled climate: Farmers’ perception of climate change and their adaptation
title_sort aquaculture in troubled climate farmers perception of climate change and their adaptation
topic adaptation strategies
aquafarmers
ghana
small scale
weather
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2017.1296400
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AT jenyooniadetola aquacultureintroubledclimatefarmersperceptionofclimatechangeandtheiradaptation
AT isaacodamekissi aquacultureintroubledclimatefarmersperceptionofclimatechangeandtheiradaptation