Integrating climate-smart agri-innovative technology adoption and agribusiness management skills to improve the livelihoods of smallholder female cocoa farmers in Ghana

Abstract

ABSTRACT Environmental and climate change issues have exacerbated the existing gender inequalities in Ghana's cocoa sector. The current underrepresentation and unequal access to opportunities for women in climate action initiatives has negative implications for their livelihoods. This research focuses on how harvesting cocoa waste enabled the creation of a sustainable micro enterprise to encourage adoption of shaded cocoa production to generate biomass (waste) for organic compost production. The study followed a prescribed training programme for organic compost production and agribusiness management skills. The study employed the analysis of project notes and post-training community-visit observation records and interviews to assess the success of the training workshops and the overall project progress. Results from the analyses indicate that the knowledge and skills provided engendered motivation for a continuous and expanded adoption of climate-smart agri-innovation of shaded cocoa production. Further, the results show evidence of positive social, environmental, cultural, and economic impacts and favourable prospects of improved livelihoods for female cocoa farmers. These insights imply that SDG13, which calls for urgent climate action, can be integrated with SDG5, which places emphasis on gender equity, to improve the adoption of cocoa agroforestry and the livelihood of women in the cocoa sector of Ghana.