Climate change impacts on smallholder farmers’ livelihood in the North East Region of Ghana

Abstract

Climate change poses substantial challenges to smallholder farmers in Kubori, a community in Ghana's northeast region, where livelihoods are predominantly reliant on rain-fed agriculture. Using a mixed-methods approach that included a survey of 47 farmers and interviews with key informants from the community, such as assembly members, chiefs, and District Department of Agriculture officers, this study, guided by the Sustainable Livelihood Framework, investigates how climate change affects farmers' livelihoods and adaptive strategies. The findings indicated widespread awareness of climate change, with 87.2% of respondents reporting adverse effects on food availability, including reduced crop yields and increased food prices. The study further revealed irregular rains (42.6%) and drought (27.7%) hamper planting schedules and soil health. Although adaptive measures such as drought-tolerant varieties (27.7%) and diversification (19.1%) were used, economic constraints (38.3%) and inadequate supply of irrigation technology limit effective adaptation. In addition, 72.3% of farmers experienced decreasing incomes, resulting in 44.7% diversifying into off-farm activities. The study concludes that while farmers show readiness to switch, this is hindered by climatic uncertainty and structural barriers.