Climate Change Responses, Food Security and Production Sustainability of Maize-Farming Households in Volta Region, Ghana

Abstract

Transforming food systems and improving production sustainability is core to achieving the sustainable development goals. This study evaluates the nexus of climate change responses, food security and sustainable agricultural practices in the Volta Region of Ghana. With a cross-sectional survey design backed by the pragmatist philosophy, primary data were collected from 733 maize-farming households using structured interview schedule. A multi-phase sampling technique was employed to select 9 administrative assemblies, 3 from each geographical zones of Northern, Middle and Southern Volta. Several analytical tools including binary logistic and multiple linear regressions, consolidated approach to reporting food insecurity, Garret factor rankings techniques, Friedman rank tests, analysis of variance, and structural equation modelling were used. Major findings indicate that though farmers produce at least two different varieties of maize in tandem, Obatampa is the most important variety. Important constraining factors to maize enterprise were undercapitalisation, low yield, diseases and pests outbreaks, uncertain demands, inadequate infrastructure and lack of market information. Majority (53.8%) of the households were food insecure across the region. Most maize farmers reported negative climate change effects and have adopted diversity of response strategies to avert the situation. Farmers have positive attitudes towards sustainable agriculture, which significantly influenced production sustainability. The major latent variables that significantly influenced food security were responses to climate change, livelihood diversification and attitudes and practices of sustainability. This implies that farmers could improve food security levels by practicing sustainability. Farmers should also increase their adaptive capacity to climate change through production sustainability.