Toward Enhancing Resilience to Climate and Ecosystem Changes in Semi-Arid Africa: Evidence from Northern Ghana

2017 ◽  
pp. 3-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osamu Saito ◽  
Yaw Agyeman Boafo ◽  
Godfred Seidu Jasaw
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Ecosystem Changes ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals Phosphorus status of some semi-arid agricultural soils of northern Ghana

1995 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Owusu-Bennoah ◽  
J. G. Ampofo ◽  
D. K. Acquay
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Phosphorus Status ◽  
Semi Arid

A prehistoric tsunami induced long-lasting ecosystem changes on a semi-arid tropical island—the case of Boka Bartol (Bonaire, Leeward Antilles)

2012 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Max Engel ◽  
Helmut Brückner ◽  
Sascha Fürstenberg ◽  
Peter Frenzel ◽  
Anna Maria Konopczak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Island ◽  
Ecosystem Changes ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals Resilience in Diet-quality Strategies of Mixed Native and Non-native Herbivore Communities in Semi-arid and Sub-humid Savanna Ecosystem

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stoklasová Lucie ◽  
Pavla Hejcmanová
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
African Savanna ◽  
Ecosystem Shift ◽  
Ecological Functionality ◽  
Humid Savanna ◽  
Ecosystem Changes ◽  
Semi Arid

Abstract The global climate change processes are expected to impact African savanna ecosystems in their ecological functionality and availability of food resources for herbivores. To understand the feeding responses of large savanna herbivores placed to space-constrained and two environmentally distinct (semi-arid versus sub-humid savanna) conditions, we investigated the diet quality of five species living in a mixed community of species native and non-native for the West African savanna and compared them between the two sites as a proxy for a potential ecosystem shift due to climate change. Grazers and mixed feeders maintained diet quality in most nutrients at similar levels, while browser’s diet had lower nitrogen and fibres, specifically lignin, and more calcium in semi-arid savanna. Our findings suggest that adaptation to different ecosystems with no possibility to leave the area required changes in feeding behaviour across feeding types to maintain diet quality, especially mixed feeders escaped the competition with zebras for grasses in sub-humid savanna by switching to browse. Pure browser experienced reduced diet quality in drier environment and may potentially become susceptible to ecosystem changes. Conservation strategies should facilitate both, animals’ adequate behavioural responses together with nutritional resilience in changing savanna landscapes.

Special Issue on Enhancing Resilience to Climate and Ecosystem Changes in Semi-Arid Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 411-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuhiko Takeuchi ◽  
Edwin Akonno Gyasi
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Capacity Development ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Ecosystem Change ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Ecosystem Changes ◽  
Semi Arid

In 2011, a collaborative project focused on climate and ecosystem change adaptation and resilience studies in Africa (CECAR-Africa) with Ghana as the focal country, was initiated. The goal was to combine climate change and ecosystem change research, and to use that combination as a basis for building an integrated resilience enhancement strategy as a potential model for semi-arid regions across Sub-Saharan Africa. The Project is being financially supported by the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS), a collaborative programme of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). CECAR-Africa involves the following leading climate and ecosystems research organizations in Ghana and Japan: The University of Tokyo; Kyoto University; United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS); University of Ghana; Ghana Meteorological Agency; University for Development Studies; and United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNUINRA). CECAR-Africa has been operating fully since 2012, with a focus on three thematic areas, namely: Forecast and assessment of climate change impact on agro-ecosystems (Agro-ecosystem resilience); Risk assessment of extreme weather hazards and development of adaptive resource management methods (Engineering resilience); and Implementing capacity development programs for local communities and professionals (social institutions-technical capacity development) using the assessment results derived from work on the first two themes. This special issue presents major outcomes of the Project so far. The articles featured used various techniques and methods such as field surveys, questionnaires, focal group discussions, land use and cover change analysis, and climate downscaled modelling to investigate the impacts of climate and ecosystem changes on river flows and agriculture, and to assess the local capacity for coping with floods, droughts and disasters, and for enhancing the resilience of farming communities. We are happy to be able to publish this special issue just in time for an international conference on CECAR-Africa in Tamale, Ghana, on 6-7 August, 2014. It is hoped that the shared research outcomes will facilitate discussions on the project research themes and interactions and exchange of ideas among academics, professionals, and government officials on the way forward for the CECARAfrica Project. We find it only appropriate to conclude by thanking the authors and reviewers of the articles, and by acknowledging, with gratitude, the local knowledge and other bits and pieces of information contributed by the many anonymous farmers and other people of northern Ghana.

Evaluation of Pearl millet Varieties for Adaptation to the Semi-Arid Agro-Ecology of Northern Ghana

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Kanton ◽  
P. Asungre ◽  
E. Ansoba ◽  
Baba Inusah ◽  
J. Bidzakin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pearl Millet ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals Climate variability, consumption risk and poverty in semi-arid Northern Ghana: Adaptation options for poor farm households

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 2-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tesfamicheal Wossen ◽  
Thomas Berger ◽  
Nedumaran Swamikannu ◽  
Thiagarajah Ramilan
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Farm Households ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Consumption Risk ◽  
Semi Arid ◽  
Adaptation Options

scholarly journals Climate Smart Agriculture Practices in Semi-arid Northern Ghana: Implications for Sustainable Livelihoods

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Rahinatu Sidiki Alare ◽  
Erasmus Henaku Owusu ◽  
Kwadwo Owusu
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Smart Agriculture ◽  
Semi Arid

Achieving food security and livelihood development among vulnerable households in the semi-arid regions is challenged by water scarcity and climate change. To alleviate the challenges of water scarcity and climate change impacts, farmers are adopting different climate smart agriculture (CSA) practices. However, there is limited knowledge on the contribution of CSA practices to livelihoods of farmers in semi-arid northern Ghana. Therefore, this paper explored CSA practices adopted by smallholder farmers and assessed the contribution of dry season farming to livelihoods in rural semi-arid Ghana. Using data from 100 households, farm income, household food security and subjective wellbeing (SWB) were compared between dry season farmers and non-dry season ones. The findings showed that socio-economic factors hindered the utilisation of practices with high start-up cost such as rain water harvesting. Farmers also adopted other practices based on the benefits, ease of use and geographical context. Comparing dry season farmers and non-dry season ones, the results showed that dry season farming had great potentials of improving income, food security (66%) and wellbeing (P>0.01) of rural households in semi-arid Ghana. However, adopting CSA practices only without instituting programmes to address other socio-economic challenges faced by smallholder farmers will yield minimal impacts. Complementing CSA initiatives with poverty alleviation programmes will effectively contribute to improved livelihoods in resource poor communities.

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