Rural farmers ignorant of climate change impact – Study

A research has shown that farmers in rural communities do not show interest in adaptive measures to mitigate impact of climate change even though they suffer the most.

The study was conducted by the Presbyterian University College (PUC) in three communities in the Akuapem North District.

According to the study even though the farmers could tell that there was a change in weather patterns such as sudden drop in the rainfall pattern, lack of rains at the start of farming seasons and too much sunshine, they had no knowledge of mitigation measures to reduce the impacts on their farming activities which is their source of livelihood.

Interestingly, the findings showed that men in the communities think that if they lose their livelihood they would work as labourers on irrigated farms and other trades such as masonry and carpentry.

The women also had it in mind that they would resort to petty trading, be labourers to ‘gari’ producers or be engaged as farm hands on irrigated farms.

Dr Frank Arku, the Akuapem Campus Coordinator of the PUC who conducted the study and presented the findings at a colloquium in Accra, said it was part of the College’s social responsibility to raise awareness for attention.

He said although adaptation to climate change was important to mitigating effects, farmers in the rural areas did not understand the adaptive measures and therefore the need to conduct such researches to determine the dimensions of change and how the rural folks could be aware of the global issue.

Dr Arku noted that climate change is a global issue that leads to poverty.

He said it was important that farmers who would be hard-hit by climate impacts understood the process and how to mitigate its effects through systemic adaptation of traditional and evolving home-grown approaches familiar to them

Source: GNA