Smallholder Farmers’ Perception and Adaptation to Climate Change in Tropical African Rural Communities: A Primer for Collaborative Policy Intervention

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Yeboah-Assiamah ◽  
David Appiah ◽  
Timothy Apeanti ◽  
Peter Dok Tindan
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Policy Intervention ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change

Elderly smallholder farmers’ perceptions of and adaptation to climate variability and change in rural Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Divine Odame Appiah ◽  
Felix Asante ◽  
Lois Antwi-Boadi ◽  
Richard Serbeh
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Pension Scheme ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Climate Variability And Change ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This paper aims to examine elderly smallholder farmers’ perceptions of and adaptation to climate variability and change in the Offinso Municipality, Ghana. Design/methodology/approach This paper used quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data were analyzed with frequencies and chi-square tests, whereas qualitative data were thematically analyzed. Findings The results showed that elderly smallholder farmers’ knowledge of climate variability and climate change were based on their sex, level of formal education and experience in farming. Elderly smallholder farmers adopted both on-farm and off-farm strategies to cope with climate change and variability. The vulnerability of elderly smallholder farmers to climate change calls for social protection mechanisms such as a pension scheme that guarantees access to monthly cash transfers. Such a scheme will ease constraints to livelihood and ensure improved well-being. Originality/value Elderly smallholder farmers have remained invisible in discourses on perceptions and adaptation to climate change despite the surge in number of this category of farmers. This paper therefore represents an attempt to highlight the experiences of elderly smallholder farmers with climate variability and change.

scholarly journals Assessing the farmer field schools diffusion of knowledge and adaptation to climate change by smallholder farmers in Kiboga District, Uganda

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 74-83
Author(s):  
Mfitumukiza David ◽  
Barasa Bernard ◽  
Marie Nankya Ann ◽  
Dorothy Nabwire ◽  
Hellen Owasa Abbo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Farmer Field Schools ◽  
Diffusion Of Knowledge ◽  
Field Schools

Helping the Helpless: Contribution of Rural Extension Services to Smallholder Farmers’ Climate Change Adaptive Capacity and Adaptation in Rural Ghana

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 244-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Asare-Nuamah ◽  
Ebo Botchway ◽  
Justina A. Onumah
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Adaptive Capacity ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Extension Services ◽  
Farming Communities ◽  
Multiple Strategies ◽  
Transfer Of Skills

While there is no doubt that extension services play an active role in promoting smallholder farmers’ adaptive capacity and adaptation to climate change, there is a dearth of information and research on how this institution champions climate change adaptation in rural farming communities in Ghana. This study employed a qualitative case study design and interviewed 15 extension officers and 26 smallholder farmers to understand how extension services enhance smallholder farmers’ climate change adaptive capacity and adaptation in the rural Adansi North District in Ghana. The findings indicate that extension services adopt multiple strategies to build the adaptive capacity of farmers to climate change. Through the transfer of skills and knowledge, technology and innovations, supply of inputs, technical advice and liaison role with existing local institutions, farmers are able to adapt to climate change. The study further revealed that extension services are hindered by geographical, sociocultural and economic challenges which affect their alignment and fitness to effectively assist smallholder farmers. The study recommends strengthening the capacity of the extension institution. Moreover, more experts must be trained to provide special, targeted and important services to smallholder farmers in respect of climate change sensitization and adaptation.

scholarly journals Knowledge politics in participatory climate change adaptation research on agroecology in Malawi

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 238-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Bezner Kerr ◽  
Hanson Nyantakyi-Frimpong ◽  
Laifolo Dakishoni ◽  
Esther Lupafya ◽  
Lizzie Shumba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Environmental Implications ◽  
Changing Climate ◽  
Agricultural Knowledge ◽  
Sources Of Knowledge

AbstractClimate change is projected to have severe implications for smallholder agriculture in Africa, with increased temperatures, increased drought and flooding occurrence, and increased rainfall variability. Given these projections, there is a need to identify effective strategies to help rural communities adapt to climatic risks. Yet, relatively little research has examined the politics and social dynamics around knowledge and sources of information about climate-change adaptation with smallholder farming communities. This paper uses a political ecology approach to historically situate rural people's experiences with a changing climate. Using the concept of the co-production of knowledge, we examine how Malawian smallholder farmers learn, perceive, share and apply knowledge about a changing climate, and what sources they draw on for agroecological methods in this context. As well, we pay particular attention to agricultural knowledge flows within and between households. We ask two main questions: Whose knowledge counts in relation to climate-change adaptation? What are the political, social and environmental implications of these knowledge dynamics? We draw upon a long-term action research project on climate-change adaptation that involved focus groups, interviews, observations, surveys, and participatory agroecology experiments with 425 farmers. Our findings are consistent with other studies, which found that agricultural knowledge sources were shaped by gender and other social inequalities, with women more reliant on informal networks than men. Farmers initially ranked extension services as important sources of knowledge about farming and climate change. After farmers carried out participatory agroecological research, they ranked their own observation and informal farmer networks as more important sources of knowledge. Contradictory ideas about climate-change adaptation, linked to various positions of power, gaps of knowledge and social inequalities make it challenging for farmers to know how to act despite observing changes in rainfall. Participatory agroecological approaches influenced adaptation strategies used by smallholder farmers in Malawi, but most still maintained the dominant narrative about climate-change causes, which focused on local deforestation by rural communities. Smallholder farmers in Malawi are responsible for <1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet our results show that the farmers often blame their own rural communities for changes in deforestation and rainfall patterns. Researchers need to consider differences knowledge and power between scientists and farmers and the contradictory narratives at work in communities to foster long-term change.

scholarly journals Agro-pastoralists’ determinants of adaptation to climate change

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 488-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keneilwe Ruth Kgosikoma ◽  
Phatsimo Cotildah Lekota ◽  
Olaotswe Ernest Kgosikoma
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Mean Annual Temperature ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Agricultural Diversification

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze smallholder farmers’ perceptions on climate change and its stressors, their adaptation strategies and factors that influence their adaptation to climate change. Design/methodology/approach The study was conducted in Kweneng district, located in the south eastern part of Botswana. Multi-stage sampling was used to obtain a representative sample from three sub-districts in the district. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data by using face-to-face interviews. Findings Majority of farmers perceived an increase in mean annual temperature and the number of hot days and a decrease in mean annual rainfall and the number of rainfall days over the past 10 years as indicators of climate change. The prominent adaptation strategies included changes in planting dates for crops and supplementary feeding for livestock. The logistic regression results show that gender, age, household size, poverty, shortage of land, mixed farming and knowledge about climate change significantly influence adaptation. Practical implications The findings indicate that climate change policy should target agricultural diversification at the household level and dissemination of information on climate change and adaptation strategies. Originality/value Policy recommendations can be suggested: government climate change interventions should target agricultural diversification at the household level, and this study provides insights on what influences adaptation strategies and what should be targeted to build resilience in the agricultural sector.

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