Relationship between Livelihood Coping Strategies and Livelihood Outcomes for Smallholder Farmers in the Bawku District of Northern Ghana

Abstract

This research paper is a result of a study that analysed the relationship between livelihood coping strategies and livelihood outcomes for smallholder farmers in Bawku East District of Northern Ghana. The descriptive research design was chosen to permit obtaining and describing of information concerning the land acquisition structures/processes; the available livelihood assets, how these could be transformed through innovative livelihood coping strategies towards achieving sustainable livelihood outcomes for the rural dwellers who lost land in the Bawku East District of northern Ghana. The correlational design was utilised to permit investigation of the relationship between land acquisition and livelihood outcomes among smallholder farmers in Bawku East District of northern Ghana. 400 individuals participated in the study in four villages in Bawku District. The villages were selected because they had been affected by large scale land acquisitions for community development projects. The study found out that the nature of land acquisition process is not modelled to improve livelihood coping strategies adaptation among the farmers in Bawku East District; that non-agricultural specialization is key to better livelihood outcomes due to consequences that come along with land acquisition. The adaptation of better land acquisition structures through non-agricultural diversification approaches is desirable for good livelihood outcomes; but its aftermath is associated with land conflicts in the Bawku East District. The use of family heads, traditional chiefs, and law courts for settlement of conflicts are essential in resolving land conflicts in Bawku East District.