AGROFORESTRY AS AN ADAPTATION STRATEGY TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE KASSENA NANKANA WEST DISTRICT, UPPER EAST REGION, GHANA

Abstract

This thesis explored agroforestry as an adaptation strategy to climate change in the Kassena Nankana West District, Upper East Region. Climate change poses a serious threat to agricultural activities in agrarian economies, such as Ghana, which requires adaptation. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to assess how farming communities are using agroforestry to be able to adapt to the negative consequences of climate change. Specifically, the study assessed farmers’ understanding of climate change and agroforestry as an adaptation strategy to climate change in the study area. Mixed methodology was adopted for this study involving the use questionnaires, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and observation to gather relevant data. The findings of the study revealed that farmers noticed changes in climate with adverse effects on agricultural activities. The study discovered that agroforestry practice is a resilient agricultural adaptation option for farming communities as it supported farmers to cope with climate change impacts, such as drought, floods, wind storms, food insecurity and contributed in improving productive potential of the soil which in turn increases crop production. However, agroforestry in dry lands is a challenging task and hence adoption was low. The challenges include inadequate rainfall, free grazing, perennial bushfires and limited access to lands by women farmers for agroforestry practice. The study concludes that agroforestry is a vibrant climate change adaptation strategy. Therefore, the study recommends that farmers should retain and plant more trees on crop lands and also encourage and supported knowledge sharing. In addition, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in the study district should help farmers with fencing materials and small dams for watering the trees seedlings.