Farmer-Based Organizations and Adoption of Climate- Smart Agricultural Practices in the Nadowli-Kaleo District

Abstract

Climate change has become one of the greatest threats to humanity globally. Ghana's Savannah is predicted to be the hardest hit by climate effects. Despite the potential advantages of Climate Smart Agricultural (CSA) practices in mitigating climate change, its adoption has been limited. This study investigated the adoption of CSA practices among Farmer-based organizations (FBOs) in the Nadowli-Kaleo District in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The study uses a mixed research approach in data collection and analyses. In all, in-depth interviews were conducted with two Agricultural Extension Officers from MoFA, the district director of the Department of Agriculture, and three (3) focus group discussions across the communities were conducted for the qualitative data while structured questionnaires were administered to 170 respondents for the quantitative data. The findings of the research show that agroforestry was the most common CSA practice among farmers, followed by improved crop, livestock management practices, water management, and conservative agriculture practices. Also, there is a high proportion (80%) of farmers who have knowledge of CSA practices which indicates that people are becoming more conscious of the value of sustainable agriculture and the necessity of climate change adaptation. In addition, farmers obtained manure from their livestock and applied it on their farms to increase soil fertility and serve to complement chemical fertilizers. Further, social and cultural factors were key factors hindering farmers' adoption of CSA practices. The study concludes that there is significant level of awareness, adoption, and implementation of climate-smart agricultural practices among Farmer- Based Organizations in their desire for improved yields, climate resilience, and profitability in smallholder agriculture. The study recommends the intensification of extension services to FBOs to enhance their adaptation initiatives by Ministry of Food and Agriculture.