Influence of Livelihood Assets on the Livelihood Outcomes of Smallholder Farmers in the Bawku East District of Northern Ghana

Abstract

This research paper is a result of a study that assessed the influence of livelihood assets (the human, natural, physical, social, financial, assets) on the outcomes of smallholder farmers in Bawku East District in Northern Ghana. The study adopted a descriptive and correlational study design and employed mixed methods approach. It surveyed and interviewed 400 respondents and study participants in four villages in the Bawku East District that were affected by large scale land acquisitions for community development projects and by individuals for residential purposes. It was found out that, in terms of the importance of livelihood assets in the Bawku East District; Financial Capital is of most importance to the participants (Cum. mean 4.5275), followed by Physical capital (Cum. mean 4.3175) and social capital (Cum. mean 4.3175), Natural Capital (Cum. mean 4.31), and the least is Human Capital Assets (Cum. mean 3.395). This also means that the farmers in the Bawku East District do not have a strong human capital as compared to the others. But then, need more financial capital to be productive and survive due to the high rate of land acquisition. The results show that there is high level of experience in crop farming among farmers in Bawku East District (M = 4.04), and this experience is an important human capital asset that need to be relied on among farmers for better livelihoods.