Climate variability, food security and poverty: Agent-based assessment of policy options for farm households in Northern Ghana

2015 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
pp. 95-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tesfamicheal Wossen ◽  
Thomas Berger
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Farm Households ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Policy Options ◽  
Agent Based

scholarly journals Multi-agent modelling of climate outlooks and food security on a community garden scheme in Limpopo, South Africa

2005 ◽  
Vol 360 (1463) ◽  
pp. 2183-2194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sukaina Bharwani ◽  
Mike Bithell ◽  
Thomas E Downing ◽  
Mark New ◽  
Richard Washington ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Seasonal Climate

Seasonal climate outlooks provide one tool to help decision-makers allocate resources in anticipation of poor, fair or good seasons. The aim of the ‘Climate Outlooks and Agent-Based Simulation of Adaptation in South Africa’ project has been to investigate whether individuals, who adapt gradually to annual climate variability, are better equipped to respond to longer-term climate variability and change in a sustainable manner. Seasonal climate outlooks provide information on expected annual rainfall and thus can be used to adjust seasonal agricultural strategies to respond to expected climate conditions. A case study of smallholder farmers in a village in Vhembe district, Limpopo Province, South Africa has been used to examine how such climate outlooks might influence agricultural strategies and how this climate information can be improved to be more useful to farmers. Empirical field data has been collected using surveys, participatory approaches and computer-based knowledge elicitation tools to investigate the drivers of decision-making with a focus on the role of climate, market and livelihood needs. This data is used in an agent-based social simulation which incorporates household agents with varying adaptation options which result in differing impacts on crop yields and thus food security, as a result of using or ignoring the seasonal outlook. Key variables are the skill of the forecast, the social communication of the forecast and the range of available household and community-based risk coping strategies. This research provides a novel approach for exploring adaptation within the context of climate change.

Non-farm work and food security among farm households in Northern Ghana

Food Policy ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Owusu ◽  
Awudu Abdulai ◽  
Seini Abdul-Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Farm Households ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Farm Work

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 Variability Since 1970 and Farmers’ Observations in Northern Ghana

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Nyadzi
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Climate Variability And Change ◽  
Urban Centers ◽  
Access To Credit

<p>The study examines how farmers’ observations of climate variability and change correspond with 42 years (1970-2011) meteorological data of temperature and rainfall. It shows how farmers in the Northern Region of Ghana adjust to the changing climate and explore the various obstacles that hinder the implementation of their adaptation strategies. With the help of an extension officer, 200 farmers from 20 communities were randomly selected based on their farming records. Temperatures over the last four decades (1970-2009) increased at a rate of 0.04 (± 0.41) ˚C and 0.3(± 0.13)˚C from 2010-2011 which is consistent to the farmers (82.5%) observations. Rainfall within the districts are characterised by inter-annual and monthly variability. It experienced an increased rate of 0.66 (± 8.30) mm from 1970-2009, which was inconsistent with the farmers (81.5%) observation. It however decreased from 2010-2011 at a huge rate of -22.49 (±15.90) mm which probably was the reason majority of the respondents claim rainfall was decreasing. Only 64.5% of the respondents had adjusted their farming activities because of climate variability and change. They apply fertilizers and pesticides, practice soil and water conservation, and irrigation for communities close to dams. Respondents desire to continue their current adaptation methods but may in the future consider changing crop variety, water-harvesting techniques, change crop production to livestock keeping, and possibly migrate to urban centers. Lack of climate change education, low access to credit and agricultural inputs are some militating factors crippling the farmers’ effort to adapt to climate change.</p>

scholarly journals Effect of climate variability on yields of selected staple food crops in northern Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 100205
Author(s):  
Frank Baffour-Ata ◽  
Philip Antwi-Agyei ◽  
Elias Nkiaka ◽  
Andrew J. Dougill ◽  
Alexander K. Anning ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Food Crops ◽  
Staple Food

scholarly journals What Explains Gender Gaps in Household Food Security? Evidence from Maize Farm Households in Southern Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Girma Gezimu Gebre ◽  
Hiroshi Isoda ◽  
Yuichiro Amekawa ◽  
Dil Bahadur Rahut ◽  
Hisako Nomura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Farm Households ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Southern Ethiopia ◽  
Lower Probability ◽  
Gender Gaps ◽  
Joint Decision ◽  
Household Food

AbstractUsing primary data collected from 560 farm households in Dawuro zone, southern Ethiopia, this study analyzes the gender gaps in food security among male, female, and joint decision-making farm households. It examines the factors inducing gender gaps among the households of those three categories. The results show that female decision-making households have a lower probability of ensuring food-security and a higher probability of being transitionally and chronically food-insecure. Joint decision-making households showed a higher probability of falling into the chronically food-insecure category. The decomposition results show significant gender gaps between male and female decision-making households in terms of food-secure, transitory food-insecure, and chronically food-insecure categories. Overall, both the endowment and return effects account for the gaps; however, the magnitude of the effect from the return is higher than from the endowment on significant gaps in the food-secure, transitory, and chronically food-insecure categories. Hence, there is a need for policies that not only ensure equal levels of productive resources but also help households build their capacity in order to improve both transitory and chronically food insecure situations.

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