According to a study conducted by the Environmental Science Department of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, a secure land tenure system is essential for farmers to adopt climate-smart agriculture practices.
The study aimed to identify the primary factors that facilitate or hinder the implementation of such practices among farming households. Over the course of the research, data was gathered from 1,061 households between October 2020 and October 2021, using a mixed-method approach in three phases: October to December 2020, February to March, and August to October 2021.
“We collected data using a mixed method approach in October to December 2020, February to March, and August to October 2021.
“The households were in nine communities selected from the Kintampo South District, Savelugu District and the Lambussie-Karni district,” lead researcher, Prof. Phillip Antwi-Agyei stated.
In addition to a secure land tenure system, the scientists discovered that several other factors are crucial facilitators of climate-smart agriculture practices. These include a comprehensive understanding of the impact of climate change, access to sustainable agricultural technologies, and financial resources to support the implementation of such practices.
Besides, access to weather and climate information, assistance from social group organizations, support from local government authorities and traditional leaders, and access to farmer-based insurance were also identified as important enablers.
These findings were presented at a workshop on climate-smart agriculture and climate information for resilient food systems held in Kumasi, which aimed to evaluate how climate-smart agriculture and climate information can be integrated to enhance the resilience of agricultural systems in Ghana.
To combat climate risks, Prof. Antwi-Agyei has urged policy makers and community leaders to tackle the issue of land tenure insecurity, which often hinders the efforts of smallholder farmers.
“Customary landholding arrangements that tend to disadvantage certain socioeconomic groups in the implementation of adaptation practices such as agroforestry must be reviewed,” revealed said
The research was conducted with the support of the Future Leaders-African Independent Research (FLAIR) Fellowship, which was funded by the Royal Society in London, as well as the GCRF & Newton Fund Consolidation Award from the University of York.
