Determinants of yam farmers’ adaptation practices to climate variability in the Ejura Sekyedumase municipality, Ghana

Abstract

This study assessed the factors affecting yam farmers' adaptation practices to climate variability in the Ejura Sekyedumase Municipality, Ghana. Primary data was collected through 160 household surveys and 8 key informant interviews. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the factors affecting the yam farmers’ choice of adaptation practices. Findings revealed that the yam farmers perceived climate variability through changes in the onset and patterns of rainfall, increasing windstorms, and rising temperatures. The yam farmers perceived the adverse effects of climate variability on their yam production to include a reduction in yam yields (98%), decreased income of farmers (97%), and reduced soil fertility (97%). Findings also showed that the yam farmers utilized key adaptation practices including changing the planting period of yam (88%), planting early-maturing yam seeds/varieties (86%), and intercropping yam with other crops (84%). The key adaptation practices implemented by the farmers were significantly affected by socioeconomic factors including age, years of stay in the community, household size, access to extension services, marital status, education, farming experience, access to climate information, estimated farm size, and estimated farm income (p < 0.05). The empirical findings of this study reinforce the importance of policymakers devising suitable climate variability adaptation policies for yam farmers in Ghana while taking into cognizance the socioeconomic factors that could affect their adoption of such adaptation practices.

Keywords

• Adaptation
• Agriculture
• Climate variability
• Yam production
• Ghana