Women smallholder farmers off-farm adaptation strategies to climate variability in rural Savannah, Ghana

Climate variability presents an additional challenge to the agricultural sector and society’s livelihood due to persistent low rainfall and high temperatures. Women smallholder farmers who depend on agricultural production and have limited natural resources are observed to suffer the more from climate-related adverse effects. The aim of the study was to investigate women smallholder farmers’ off-farm adaptation strategies to climate variability in rural savanna, Ghana. The study adopted a case study design method with a sample of 187 women smallholde farmers. Multi-stage sampling was used to select the communities and women respondents for the study. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect the data. Quantitative data was analyzed descriptively using Statistical Package for Social Science while the interviews were analyzed using thematic approach. Climate vulnerability perception index (CVPI) was performed to determine the sensitivity and exposure of women to climate variability and the need for off-farm adaptation. Again, Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance, test of linearity and Adaptation Strategy Index (ASI) were performed to establish off-farm adaptation strategies that were effective and of importance to the women. The results of the CVPI revealed that women were vulnerable to drought, flood and bush fires in their communities. The results further indicated that, due to women sensitivity and exposure to climate variability, they have engaged in multiple off-farm adaptation strategies to include petty business, poultry and livestock keeping, and agro-processing to respond to the varying climate system. The test of linearity revealed that, most of the off-farm adaptation strategies were significantly associated with climate variability. The ASI results revealed that, women farmers placed agro-processing as the most effective off-farm adaptation strategy to climate variability. Contrarily, women mentioned limited financial resources, poultry and livestock diseases and pests, and low market demands as constraints in their response to climate variability. The practical and policy implications of the study are discussed.