Impacts of changing climate on maize production in the transitional zone of Ghana. A case study of Nkoranza south municipality

Year 2018, Volume: 2 Issue: 4, 164 - 170, 20.12.2018

Victor Adjei Rosina Kyerematen

https://doi.org/10.31015/jaefs.18028

Abstract

This
study sought to assess the challenges and opportunities that come with climate
change and variability impacts on maize farming in the Nkoranza South
Municipality in the Transitional Zone of Ghana. The mixed method approach was
used in collecting the data. The results of the study showed that farmers had
observed changes in climate in the form of decreasing rainfall, rising air
temperatures and seasonal changes in rainfall pattern which were affecting
their maize farming operations. The major setbacks within the area were deficit
in rainy days and intermittent erratic rainfall affecting maize production. The
reduction in rainfall was corroborated by data obtained from Ghana
Meteorological Agency (GMet) which indicated that the dry cell between the
major and minor rainy seasons was getting wetter and the two seasons were
gradually merging whereas the first and last quarters of the year were getting
drier for a couple of decades. The situation over the last five years had
worsened as the amount of total rainfall had reduced by 22% compared to the
30year period between 1960 and 1982. The major opportunity available to farmers
in the face of changing climate in this agroecological zone was cashew
production. About 76.8% of the respondents had diversified into cashew farming.

Keywords

Climate change, Variability, Maize production, Transitional zone, Cashew farming

References

• Badu-Apraku, B., Hunter, R.B., & Tollenaar, M. (1983). Temperature effects on maize grain filling. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 63: 357-363.
• Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana (EPA) (2000). Climate change vulnerability and adaptation assessment of coastal Zone of Ghana. Final report. Accra: Ministry of Environment Science and Technology.
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), (2007). Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Parry, Martin L., Canziani, Osvaldo F., Palutikof, Jean P., van der Linden, Paul J., and Hanson, Clair E. (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 1000 pp
• Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana (EPA), (2009). Ghana’s national climate change adaptation strategy. Zero draft. Accra: Ministry of Environment Science and Technology.
• Fosu-Mensah, Y.B. (2012). Modelling maize (Zea mays L.) productivity and impact of climate change on yield and nutrient utilization in sub-humid Ghana. In: Vlek, P.L.G., Denich, M., Martius, C., Manschadi, A., Bogardi, J. (Eds), Ecology and Development Series No. 87. Cuvillier Verlag. Gottingen. Pp.: 1-171
• Ghana Districts, (2007). District Profiles. http://www.ghanadistricts.com.
• Khan, H., & Ali, F. (2013). Measurement of Productive Efficiency of Tomato Growers in Peshawar, Pakistan. Agric. Econ. CZECH, 2013, 59, No. 8, p. 381–388. ISSN 0139-570 X.
• Kyekyeku Nti, F. (2008). Climate Change Vulnerability and Coping Mechanisms among Farming Communities. MSc Thesis, Department of Agricultural Economics College of Agriculture, University of Ghana, Legon.
• Lobell, D.B., Burke, M.B., Tebaldi, C., Mastrandrea, M.D., Falcon, W.P., & Naylor, R.L. (2008). Prioritizing climate change adaptation and needs for food security in 2030. Science, 319, 607–610.
• Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), (2003). Agriculture in Ghana: facts and figures. Produced by the Statistics, Research and Information Directorate. Accra. http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/a0013e/a0013e05.htm cited on 12th March, 2013.
• Owusu, K., & P. Waylen. (2009). “Trends in spatiotemporal variability in annual rainfall in Ghana (1951– 2000).” Weather 64(5): 115–120.
• Owusu, K., Waylen, P., & Qiu, Y. (2008). Changing rainfall inputs in the Volta basin: implications for water sharing in Ghana. GeoJournal, 71, 201–210.
• Stanturf, J. A., Warren, M.L., Charnley, S., Polasky, S.C., Goodrick, S.L., Arma, F., & Nyarko Y.A., (2011). Ghana climate vulnerability and adaptation assessment. US Agency for International Development, Washington D.C., USA
• Statistics, Research and Information Directorate (SRID), (2010). Agriculture in Ghana (2009). Facts and figures. Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Accra, Ghana. Available from http://www.mofa.gov.gh/AGRICULTURE%20IN%20GHANA%20%202009.pdf, (accessed 14th April, 2011).
• Travasso, M.I., Graciela, O.M., & Gabriel, R.R., (2009). Climate change impacts on regional maize yields and possible adaptation measures in Argentina. Int. J. Global Warming, Vol. 1, Nos 1/2/3
• WABS Consulting, (2008). Draft Report: Maize value chain study in Ghana: Enhancing efficiency and competiveness. WABS Consulting Ltd. Accra.
• Yaro, J. A. (2010). The Social Dimensions of Adaptation to Climate Change in Ghana. The World Bank Discussion paper no.15. Washington: The World Bank.
• Yaro, J. A., Dogbe, T. D., Bizikova, L., Bailey, P., Ahiable, G., Yahaya, T., & Salam, K. A. (2010). Development and Climate Change: The Social Dimensions of Adaptation to Climate Change in Ghana. Discussion Paper Number 15,14th December 2010. Washington, DC; World Bank.