Climate change adaptation through agroforestry: The case of Kassena Nankana West District, Ghana

The paper aims at assessing agroforestry as an adaptation strategy to a changing local climate. Agroforestry is necessitated by the need to improve tree population along the Sisili River and other areas in the Kassena Nankana West District. Primary data were generated through survey methods in which questionnaires were administered to 75 agroforestry farmers. It was triangulated with eight focus group discussions and five key informant interviews. Additionally, secondary data on rainfall and temperature (1984-2015) were analysed. The study revealed that farmers have noticed changes in the local climate as declining rainfall and increasing sunshine associated with rising temperature. Secondly, agroforestry was found to be useful in reducing water and wind erosion of soil, it improves soil nutrients, moisture retention and household food availability. Agroforestry is challenged with water shortages, unsupervised livestock grazing and bushfires. The study concludes that agroforestry is a dynamic agricultural adaptation option to a changing local climate. Therefore, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and NGOs should support farmers with dams and fencing materials and encourage more farmers to adopt agroforestry.