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KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KUMASI COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, AGRIBUSINESS AND EXTENSION FARMERS’ PERCEPTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE ITS MANIFESTATIONS IN SMALLHOLDER COCOA SYSTEMS AND SHIFTS IN CROPPING PATTERN IN THE FOREST-SAVANNAH TRANSITIONAL ZONE OF GHANA BY EDWARD YAW KYERE JUNE, 2016 FARMERS’ PERCEPTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE; ITS MANIFESTATIONS IN SMALLHOLDER COCOA SYSTEMS AND SHIFTS IN CROPPING PATTERN IN THE FOREST-SAVANNAH TRANSITIONAL ZONE OF GHANA A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES, KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KUMASI, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE IN SUSTAINABLE AND INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT BY EDWARD YAW KYERE JUNE, 2016 DECLARATION I, Edward Yaw Kyere, author of this thesis do hereby declare that except for specific references which have been duly acknowledge, this project is the result of my own research and it has not been submitted either in part or whole for any other degree elsewhere. Signature…………………………………… ……………………… EDWARD YAW KYERE DATE (STUDENT, PG1526213) Signature …………………………………. ……………………… DR. WINSTON A. ASANTE DATE (SUPERVISOR) Signature……………………………………. ……………………… DR. VITOR A. DADSON DATE (HEAD OF DEPARTMENT) ii ABSTRACT The current and projected climatic conditions show a rise in temperature and decrease in mean annual rainfall in all the agro-ecological zones of Ghana, including cocoa growing areas in the forest-savanna transitional zone. Cocoa systems are therefore expected to be impacted on negatively, with its resultant effect on rural livelihood. However, there are indications that farmers in the study areas are massively converting croplands to cocoa farming in spite of the climatic effects on cocoa. The study therefore explored farmers’ perception on changes in climatic parameters (rainfall and temperature) and the effects of farmers’ perceived manifestations and impacts of climate changes on shifts in smallholder cocoa farming systems in the forest-savannah transitional ecological zone of Ghana. The study was situated in three epochs (pre-fire, post fire and the current epoch) to give respondents a better reference to the relativity of climate change and its impacts on cocoa over a forty year period. Also, in order to have a better understanding of the historical perspective of climate impacts on cocoa, farmers aged 45 years and above formed the sample population for the study. A multistage sampling technique was employed in selecting a sample size of 270 cocoa farmers from nine communities in the Berekum, Wenchi and Techiman Municipalities of Brong Ahafo Region. Results show that farmers have perceived changes in rainfall and temperature over the forty year period, which contributed to the prolonged dryness hence the seasonal bushfire destroying cocoa farms. It was also perceived that the changes in climate and its impacts contributed to shifts in cropping systems from cocoa to annual crops (maize dominant), which became the major livelihood of farmers in the post-fire economy. The study brought to the fore evidences that show that although climate change is impacting negatively on crop production, there are indications of massive shifts to cocoa production, with farmers iii indicating that current value chain challenges with cereal production makes cocoa cultivation a better livelihood option. Thus, in the face of perceived climate impacts on cocoa, farmers are increasingly converting annual crops (mostly cereals) into cocoa systems by adopting some on-farm measures such as planting more plantain suckers at least inches away from cocoa seedlings as shade for the young cocoa. Also the adoption by farmers irregular planting of seedlings for the purposes of insurance and creating good micro environment. The use of shade trees is also becoming a common practice by farmers and other on-farm practices to protect their farms against bushfires. It can be concluded that farmers have shifted their sources of livelihood from cocoa in the pre-fire epoch to cereals in the post-fire epoch and are now increasingly converting annuals croplands to cocoa systems, in spite of current and projected impacts of climate on cocoa. The study holds implications for the sustenance of farmer livelihood in the forest-savanna transitional zone within the context of perceived climate impacts. iv DEDICATION This work is dedicated to God Almighty for the gift of life, for hearing my daily prayers and the many blessings and mercies given my family and myself. Thank you (Mother Mary) for interceding on behave of me whenever I pray to your son our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Also to my Mum and Dad (Elizabeth and Paul) and my siblings (Eugenia, Bernard, Collins and Benedicta) for the support and prayers v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My first thanks goes to God Almighty, for His many blessings guidance and protection throughout the many years. Thank you for your Mercies My heartfelt appreciation also goes to Dr. Winston A. Asante whose mentorship, brotherly friendship, assistance, timely and technical guidance, support, supervision made this research work a reality. I am particularly grateful for your mentoring and interest in my academic development; you are a blessing to the academic community. I also extend my sincere thanks to various staff members who taught on the SIRD Programme especially Nana (Dr.) S. E. Adusah and Dr. V. A. Dadson for the constant encouragement and support. I am indebted to the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) for the access to data generated through the COCOA ECO PROJECT for my work and for the capacity building opportunity. The industrious farmers of Asuoagya, Wenchi, Tromeso, Tanoso, Nsuta, Mangoase, Tewbabi, Abasasi and Anyinasu also deserve much commendation for their warm cooperation during the data collection process. To Mr. Amoako Jampa of Wenchi, Nana S. K. Yeboah of Abisase, I say a big thank you for your support during data collection. I am grateful for my family; for the love, care and support. You are the reason why I kept on when I felt like giving up. And to my friends Marian Gifty Osei- Boamah, Lily Oteng, Lawrence K. Agyei and Lawrence K. Dabanka for the support. Finally, I would also like to thank all my friends and colleagues at Kwame Nkrumah University of science and Technology, KNUST especially the SIRD 1st batch for making academic and social life memorable. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION.......................................................................................................... ii ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................iii DEDICATION.............................................................................................................. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................... vii LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................... xi LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................... xii LIST OF PLATES ....................................................................................................xiii LIST OF ACRONYMS ............................................................................................ xiv CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 1 1.1 Background of the study ................................................................................. 1 1.2 Problem statement ........................................................................................... 6 1.3 Justification ..................................................................................................... 8 1.4 Research question ............................................................................................ 9 1.4.1 Specific Questions ................................................................................... 9 1.5 Aim ................................................................................................................ 10 1.5.1 Specific Objectives ................................................................................ 10 1.6 Organization of the study .............................................................................. 10 CHAPTER TWO: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK, THEORETICAL UNDERPINNING AND LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................... 12 2.1 Theoretical framework .................................................................................. 12 2.2 Theoretical underpinnings ............................................................................. 15 2.3 Vulnerability of Ghana to climate change ..................................................... 16 2.4 Impacts of climate change and manifestations on agriculture in Africa ....... 17 vii 2.5 Cocoa and the Ghanaian economy ................................................................ 20 2.6 Climate change cocoa production and the agricultural sector ....................... 21 2.7 Adaptation to climate change ........................................................................ 24 CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHODS ......................................... 26 3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................