Constraints to Climate Change Adaptation among Smallholder Farmers in the Oti River
Abstract
Abstract The Oti River Basin (ORB) continues to witness recurrent floods and droughts, with smallholder farmers often vulnerable to these impacts. The specific constraints in the ORB remain poorly understood due to its unique transboundary characteristics. This study examined the constraints to climate change adaptation among smallholder farmers in the basin. Specifically, it (i) determined the patterns of rainfall and temperature in the ORB between 1995 and 2025, (ii) assessed the impacts of climate change on smallholder farmers in the basin, and (iii) identified the adaptation strategies among smallholder farmers in the basin. Climate datasets were obtained from the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) and supplemented with Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS). Questionnaires were administered to 300 smallholder farmers to assess the constraints and the factors influencing the adaptation strategies. Mann–Kendall (MK) test and Sen’s estimator were used to analyze rainfall and temperature trends in the basin, while the Ordinary Least Squares Regression (OLS) model was used to assess the adaptation constraints. The results showed weak interannual variability in rainfall (p = 0.5633) and temperature (p = 0.2920), with both showing a slight increasing trend over the study period. Livelihood diversification, improved seed varieties, crop diversification, irrigation, and agroforestry were identified as the most adopted strategies by farmers in the…
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