Climate Change and Pastoralist Mobility in Gusheigu Municipal in the Northern Region of Ghana

Abstract

Climate change, recognized as a global phenomenon with far-reaching consequences, has been particularly impactful in dryland regions. Previous scholarships on climate change, and pastoralist mobility have focus on the adaptation strategies with no evidence on the characteristics of pastoralists and their perception on climate change. Therefore, to fill this gap, the study adopted a qualitative approach to investigate the relationship between climate change and pastoralist mobility and how their internal movement patterns have evolved using interview and focus group guide. The theories that was adopted include Push and Pull theory, Maximalist School of thought and Migration System and Network theory. The findings revealed five different ethnic groups involved in pastoralism in the study area which include Fulbe, Jerigonji, Moshi, Busansi, and Gruma. This ethnic group maintains a unique identity making it difficult for the people in the study area to distinguish them and therefore consider all of them as fulbe. Results also shows that pastoralists have been experiencing high temperatures, unreliable rainfall patterns, and high wind in the study area. They attribute these changes to bush burning, and deforestation. The study also found a significant relationship between climate change and pastoralist mobility. Suggesting that the scarcity of essential resources such as grass and water is a predominant factor influencing mobility among pastoralists. In addition, the study revealed that pastoralists’ internal movement patterns have changed for the past two decades. They attribute these changes to large-scale farming, lack of forage, farmer-herder conflicts, and other socioeconomic factors. The study recommends further research into sustainable resource management practices that can help pastoralist communities ensure the availability of these critical resources for their livestock