Climate Change Adaptation in the Upper East Region of Ghana: Assessing Government Policies in Water Conservation and Dry Season Irrigation Farming

Abstract

ABSTRACT Climate change adaptation has become a topical issue in global discourse in recent times due to its potential impact on food and water security. Mitigating the impact of climate change and building resilience of vulnerable farmers to adapt effectively have drawn the attention of international, regional, and national policy‐making. This study investigates climate change adaptation in the Upper East Region, assessing government policies in water conservation and dry season irrigation to promote food security. The study adopted a case study design from which eight communities were selected from four administrative districts in the Sudan agro‐ecological zone. Both primary and secondary data were collected. The instruments used for the primary data collection included focus group discussions and Key Informant Interviews, while the secondary data was obtained from key government institutions such as the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA), the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The data was analyzed using content analysis. The findings of the study indicate that several policies exist in the country to deal with the impact of climate change. However, the implementation of these policies at the local levels was marred by challenges such as credit, sociocultural practices, and inadequate dissemination of climate information. The study recommends that in order to adapt to climate change, reduce rural poverty, and promote food security, investments should be geared towards promoting water conservation for dry‐season irrigation farming. This would bring about diversification of the rural economy and sustain livelihoods.