Abstract
<p>Generally, local farmers are able to adapt to environmental change (and developments in socio-economic conditions) by engaging in a range of creative practices of on-farm management, use of improved crop varieties and adoption of new technologies. However in the past few decades, there has been growing interest in other adaptive options with the potential of addressing household food security and the multiple dimensions of sustainable agriculture. This study therefore examined the use of niche environments in the agricultural landscape as ecosystem-based adaptive strategy to environmental change among 102 farmers of 9 fringe communities of the Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve of the forest-savanna transition zone in Ghana. The study noted the increasing shift from maize cultivation to rice production using marshy areas and low-lying parts of farm fields and farms. The farmers mentioned climatic, ecological and other socio-economic reasons for this trend. They cited growing insecurity associated with maize production due to changing rainfall pattern and reduction in rainfall amounts, and changes in land cover and soil conditions. Additionally, they emphasized the relative ease with which they are able to store rice and the willingness of padi buyers to visit the villages in spite of the poor nature of the roads. The study advocated for greater institutional support to boost local rice production in order to reduce the country’s heavy dependence on imports.</p>
Highlights
Changing environmental conditions and operation of the dynamic socio-economic systems present a lot of uncertainties to local farmers which have far reaching implications for food availability and household food security
Many scholars and development practitioners appreciate that local farmers are able to adapt to environmental change (Benhin, 2006; Osman-Elasha, et al, 2006) and developments in socio-economic conditions (Ojiem, de Ridder, Vanlauwe & Giller, 2006)
This study examines how local populations on the fringes of the Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve (KSNR) of the forest-savannah transition zone of Ghana use agroecological niches for food production to support household livelihoods in the face of environmental change
Summary
Changing environmental conditions (including climate change) and operation of the dynamic socio-economic systems present a lot of uncertainties to local farmers which have far reaching implications for food availability and household food security. The prevailing biophysical factors (including micro-climatic conditions, soil fertility, soil moisture, topography etc.) and socio-economic variables in operation (such as production objectives, market prices, dietary habits, taste and preferences) do influence farmers’ adaptive capacities (Ojiem, et al, 2006). Within the broad agroecological region are unique landscapes with certain biophysical conditions at the micro level which affect the welfare of plant (and animal) species (Ojiem, et al, 2006) Such niche environments or ecological niches are suitable for different agricultural practices in terms of crops grown, management systems and sustainability, the concepts of agroecological niche and www.ccsenet.org/jsd
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