Continuous Population Research Articles

Integrated Water Management Under Different Water Rights Institutions and Population Patterns: Methodology and Application

AbstractWhile numerous studies have investigated demand management policies as a means of mitigating the impacts of climate change and population growth, little attention has been given to the interaction of spatial population patterns and water institutions that affect water shortages. In this article, we develop a methodology to evaluate how population location under alternative water institutions and climate scenarios impacts water demands, shortages, and derived economic values. We apply this methodology to the South Platte River Basin (SPRB) in Northeastern Colorado under three scenarios with ∼1,800 simulations. Results suggest that while water rights institutions have a negligible impact on total volumetric shortages relative to climate change, they have substantial distributional and economic implications. Results also suggest that continuous population growth in upstream cities yields the lowest water shortages if per capita use decreases with urbanization. However, if we assume that per capita demands do not decrease with population density, an equal distribution of population to upstream and downstream regions yields the lowest water shortage and highest economic value. These findings indicate the need that planning efforts must account for return flows and development patterns throughout a watershed in order to reduce water shortages and promote economic prosperity.

GAPS OF INDIAN ELECTRICAL ENERGY SECTOR AND ITS OPTIMAL MITIGATION BY USING OPTIMAL UTILIZATION OF INDIAN RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY WITH THE HELP OF THE P&O MPPT TECHNIQUE

Developing countries, especially, India, depend importantly on energy sources to perform their country’s industrial and economic activities. Mainly the two factors continuous population growth of the country and the rapid growth rate of industrialization of the country, the gap between electrical energy supply and demand for electrical energy is slowly and consistently increasing. To resolve this unevenness, there is a jointly planned attempt is required to enhance the contribution of renewable energy in the all over mix of energy. Despite these attempts, unexpected surges caused by the sector of domestic energy consumption could lead to important shortfalls between energy requirements at peak demand and available supply in India. As a solution to this challenge, the Union government of India has launched a new policy, named PM SURYA GHAR: MUFT BIJLI YOJANA, targeted to handle this crucial problem head-on. This initiative requires addressing the increasing energy demand by promoting the utilization of solar power in households throughout the length and breadth of the country. With the implementation techniques of Photo voltaic optimization, this analysis explores how such types of strategies can play a significant role in filling the gap between the energy supply-demand in the Indian context. Employing the solar energy potential and optimizing and utilization of solar energy, creates a path to not only meet the enhancing energy requirements but also creates the path for a more environmentally friendly and sustainable energy in India. By integration of innovative technologies and solutions of renewable energy holds the key to ensuring a balanced, sustainable, stable energy supply for the future of India and country’s growth and development.

Changes in healthcare seeking behaviors among caretakers of children in the previously occupied ISIS territory: Hadeetha, Anbar, Iraq: a cross-sectional survey of 415 households.

The western province of Anbar, and the district of Hadeetha, have suffered direct impacts from the second United States led invasion (2003) through the ISIS invasion (2014-2017). With the primary health care centers being closed or inaccessible, the remaining population experienced changes in health seeking. The area of Anbar, Iraq remains largely remote from the discourse of health system recovery post-conflict. The objective of this study was to describe changes in health seeking behaviors of caregivers of children ages 12-72months of age in Hadeetha, Anbar, Iraq from the conflict period of ISIS (Islamic State of Syria and Iraq), 2014-2017, to the post-conflict period, 2021. This was a mixed-methods study composed of a cross-sectional 415 household survey and focus groups in Hadeetha, Anbar, Iraq. Caretakers of children were interviewed from February to April 2021. Children were sampled from a list of children who missed at least one vaccination appointment without a return for follow-up from the birth cohorts of 2014 to 2020. Healthcare workers focus groups and key informant interviews occurred from 2019 to 2021 centered around experiences from the 2014 to 2021 period. In the post-conflict period, there were no differences in health seeking based upon provider type between respondents. Physicians were primary healthcare providers in the post-conflict period for 79% of respondents versus only 47% in the conflict period. Healthcare workers described major barriers to delivering services in Hadeetha during the ISIS occupation due to infrastructure damage, threats of violence, decreased medical personnel, lack of compensation and disruptions in medical supplies from 2014 to 2017. This study provides insight into health seeking challenges among the many individuals who remained in Hadeetha during the ISIS occupation. Health use patterns by provider type mirror the concerns the healthcare providers shared: limited availability, efflux of professional workers, limited resources and security challenges to providing care. Positive trends toward increased access to physicians during periods of peace are an encouraging marker for continued population resilience during the post-conflict period. Recovery efforts continue to be hampered by internal sectarian discord within Iraq as well as insufficient resources to maintain health services as well as provide catch-up health services, such as immunizations.

It's about (taking up) space: Discreteness of individuals and the strength of spatial coexistence mechanisms.

One strand of modern coexistence theory (MCT) partitions invader growth rates (IGR) to quantify how different mechanisms contribute to species coexistence, highlighting fluctuation-dependent mechanisms. A general conclusion from the classical analytic MCT theory is that coexistence mechanisms relying on temporal variation (such as the temporal storage effect) are generally less effective at promoting coexistence than mechanisms relying on spatial or spatiotemporal variation (primarily growth-density covariance). However, the analytic theory assumes continuous population density, and IGRs are calculated for infinitesimally rare invaders that have infinite time to find their preferred habitat and regrow, without ever experiencing intraspecific competition. Here we ask if the disparity between spatial and temporal mechanisms persists when individuals are, instead, discrete and occupy finite amounts of space. We present a simulation-based approach to quantifying IGRs in this situation, building on our previous approach for spatially non-varying habitats. As expected, we found that spatial mechanisms are weakened; unexpectedly, the contribution to IGR from growth-density covariance could even become negative, opposing coexistence. We also found shifts in which demographic parameters had the largest effect on the strength of spatial coexistence mechanisms. Our substantive conclusions are statements about one model, across parameter ranges that we subjectively considered realistic. Using the methods developed here, effects of individual discreteness should be explored theoretically across a broader range of conditions, and in models parameterized from empirical data on real communities.

Chromosome-level genome provides insights into evolution and diving adaptability in the vulnerable common pochard (Aythya ferina)

The common pochard (Aythya ferina) is a freshwater diving duck found in the Palearctic region that has been classified as vulnerable by the IUCN due to continuous and rapid population declines across their distribution. To gain a better understanding of its genetic mechanism of adaptive evolution, we successfully sequenced and assembled the first high-quality chromosome-level genome of A. ferina using Illumina, Nanopore and Hi-C sequencing technologies. A total assembly length of 1,130.78 Mbp was obtained, with over 98.81% (1,117.37Mbp) of sequence anchored to 35 pseudo-chromosomes. We predicted 17,232 protein-coding genes, 95.9% of which were functionally annotated. We identified 339 expanded and 937 contracted gene families in the genome of A. ferina, and detected 95 genes that have been positively selected. The significantly enriched Gene Ontology and enriched pathways were related to energy metabolism, immune, nervous, and sensory systems, suggests that these factors likely played an important role in its evolution. Importantly, we recovered signatures of positive selection on genes related to vasoconstriction that may be associated with thermoregulatory adaptations of A. ferina for underwater diving. Overall, the high-quality genome assembly and annotation in this study provides valuable genomic resources for ecological and evolutionary studies, as well as toward the conservation of A. ferina.

New records of two alien plants, Carex annectens and C. gravida (Cyperaceae) in Korea

In Korea, two alien plants were newly found, and we describe their morphological characteristics and habitats with photographs. One, a member of Cyperaceae, Carex annectens, was found in roadside forests from Gyeongsangnam-do. This species can be distinguished from C. gravida by having inflorescences, usually branched, with more than 15 spikes and pistillate scale yellow or brown. The other is C. gravida, which was found along roadsides of open habitats from Chungcheongnam-do and Gyeonggi-do. This species can be distinguished from C. muehlenbergii Schkuhr ex Willd. var. enervis Boott by having proximal leaf sheaths longitudinally green-and-white striped and with prominent green cross veins. These species grow on roadsides, suggesting that they were likely to have been introduced when green sites were installed and during road construction. Their introduction into Japan has been reported, but the associated ecological risk is unknown. Therefore, we need continuous population monitoring for these new invasive species in Korea.

State and Possibilities of Strengthening the Labor Potential of Russia (Based on the All-Russian Population Census 2020)

Introduction. The most complete information on the size and composition of the population is provided by continuous population censuses, which collect information necessary for the analysis of quantitative and qualitative changes in the composition of the population and the labor force. The purpose of the study is to identify changes in the numerical composition, age structure, and qualitative parameters of the labor potential of the Russian population in the period between the All-Russian population censuses of 2010 and 2020, and to outline ways to strengthen it. Materials and Methods. The study was based on the results of the All-Russian Population Censuses of 2010 and 2020, current accounting data and forecast calculations of Rosstat, publications of scientists engaged in research in the field of economic demography. The analysis of changes in the demographic development of the Russian Federation in the intercensal period was carried out using the methods of dynamic and structural analysis, and the generalization of the results of published scientific research was made on the basis of critical analysis. Quantitative parameters of the labor potential were estimated on the basis of indicators of the population of working age, employed in the economy, unemployed citizens and potential labor force. Results. The main changes in the number and composition of the Russian population by age and education that occurred during the inter-census period have been established. The quantitative and qualitative parameters of the labor force are determined. The outstripping growth of the level of education of unemployed citizens and potential labor force in comparison with those employed in the economy has been revealed, which, with a high degree of depreciation of the active part of fixed assets and a large part of workplaces with harmful and dangerous working conditions, suggests the archaic nature of the Russian economy and the general discrepancy between its requests and the level of education of the population. Calculations have shown that due to the involvement of potential labor in public production, it will not be possible to solve the problem of labor shortage. Discussion and Conclusion. In order to provide the Russian economy with the necessary labor force, it is suggested to consider the following options for increasing the working time fund: temporary increase in the retirement age for women, temporary decrease in the number of holidays, temporary decrease in the duration of paid leave, temporary increase in the length of the working week. The results of the research can be useful for scientists and representatives of public authorities dealing with demographic development, strategic planning, regional development, migration regulation, as well as for specialists in the field of personnel training.

A sex chromosome polymorphism maintains divergent plumage phenotypes between extensively hybridizing yellowhammers (Emberiza citrinella) and pine buntings (E. leucocephalos).

Under allopatric speciation, populations of a species become isolated by a geographic barrier and develop reproductive isolation through genetic differentiation. When populations meet in secondary contact, the strength of evolved reproductive barriers determines the extent of hybridization and whether the populations will continue to diverge or merge together. The yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) and pine bunting (E. leucocephalos) are avian sister species that diverged in allopatry on either side of Eurasia during the Pleistocene glaciations. Though they differ greatly in plumage and form distinct genetic clusters in allopatry, these taxa show negligible mitochondrial DNA differentiation and hybridize extensively where they overlap in central Siberia, lending uncertainty to the state of reproductive isolation in the system. To assess the strength of reproductive barriers between taxa, we examined genomic differentiation across the system. We found that extensive admixture has occurred in sympatry, indicating that reproductive barriers between taxa are weak. We also identified a putative Z chromosome inversion region that underlies plumage variation in the system, with the 'pine bunting' haplotype showing dominance over the 'yellowhammer' haplotype. Our results suggest that yellowhammers and pine buntings are currently at a crossroads and that evolutionary forces may push this system towards either continued differentiation or population merging. However, even if these taxa merge, recombination suppression between putative chromosome Z inversion haplotypes may maintain divergent plumage phenotypes within the system. In this way, our findings highlight the important role hybridization plays in increasing the genetic and phenotypic variation as well as the evolvability of a system.

A sacrifice for the greater good? On the main drivers of excessive land take and land use change in Hungary

Despite continuous population decline or stagnation, many Central and Eastern European cities experience urban sprawl and expansion, accompanied by excessive land take and land use change. This paper investigates recent trends in land take and land use change in Hungarian cities, aiming to identify the drivers of these processes. The study utilizes the Urban Atlas (UA) databases from 2006 and 2018 to analyze land use change in selected Hungarian cities, employing QGIS software to compile the database and MS Excel to conduct the statistical analysis. A linear trajectory model is employed to project land use change by 2026, based on 2006–2018 UA data. Additionally, via the in-depth analysis of Debrecen, the study highlights the recent acceleration of land use change to compare the projected trend with the forecasted one. Local climate strategies focus on addressing environmental concerns, including changes in land use at the city level. Therefore, this study reviews the relevant documents associated with each city to assess its commitment to reducing land take. The results indicate that despite its declining population, Hungary has seen a significant expansion in artificial surfaces, primarily due to industrialization and population policies introduced by the central government, which is likely to continue in the coming years. Unfortunately, local climate strategies have been insufficient in preventing cities from experiencing urban sprawl and expansion and preserving local ecosystem services. This underscores the inability of municipalities to defend local interests against central government directives. The findings of this study indicate that the current central policies are the main drivers of land take and urban sprawl and expansion. Prioritizing the compact city model and brownfield developments could effectively mitigate these issues. Finally, the paper advocates that complete jurisdiction over land use decisions be restored to local governments, enabling them to reject investments that may jeopardize local environmental goals.

Joint trajectory inference for single-cell genomics using deep learning with a mixture prior

Trajectory inference methods are essential for analyzing the developmental paths of cells in single-cell sequencing datasets. It provides insights into cellular differentiation, transitions, and lineage hierarchies, helping unravel the dynamic processes underlying development and disease progression. However, many existing tools lack a coherent statistical model and reliable uncertainty quantification, limiting their utility and robustness. In this paper, we introduce VITAE (Variational Inference for Trajectory by AutoEncoder), a statistical approach that integrates a latent hierarchical mixture model with variational autoencoders to infer trajectories. The statistical hierarchical model enhances the interpretability of our framework, while the posterior approximations generated by our variational autoencoder ensure computational efficiency and provide uncertainty quantification of cell projections along trajectories. Specifically, VITAE enables simultaneous trajectory inference and data integration, improving the accuracy of learning a joint trajectory structure in the presence of biological and technical heterogeneity across datasets. We show that VITAE outperforms other state-of-the-art trajectory inference methods on both real and synthetic data under various trajectory topologies. Furthermore, we apply VITAE to jointly analyze three distinct single-cell RNA sequencing datasets of the mouse neocortex, unveiling comprehensive developmental lineages of projection neurons. VITAE effectively reduces batch effects within and across datasets and uncovers finer structures that might be overlooked in individual datasets. Additionally, we showcase VITAE's efficacy in integrative analyses of multiomic datasets with continuous cell population structures.

Buckwheat: An Underutilized Himalayan Crop with Multifaceted Nutraceutical Benefits.

The human population is growing and alternate food options are needed to provide food and nutritional security to mankind. Reduced agricultural output as a result of climate change and increased demand for grains because of continuous population growth have created a gap between demand and supply of food. Buckwheat is a pseudocereal crop plant with high nutritional value that can be included as an alternate food in our diet. It is a traditional crop plant grown in the high mountains of the Himalayas for food as well as fodder. It completes its life cycle in 3-4 months, so is mostly grown as a second crop in between main crops like maize and barley. It also acts as a green manure by improving the phosphorus content of the soil. Buck-wheat has high nutritional value as it is rich in essential amino acids, vitamin B, trace elements, and other nutrients. The main bioactive compounds identified in buckwheat are rutin, quercetin, isoquercetin, d-chiroinositol, resveratol, and vitexin, which are responsible for its pharmacolog-ical properties. Research focused on value addition by exploring its nutritional, pharmaceutical, and other alternative uses of commercial importance, is needed for reviving buckwheat cultiva-tion practices and its conservation. Considering the multifarious applications of buckwheat, this review summarizes the currently available knowledge on the agronomic and nutraceutical sig-nificance of buckwheat to project its value as a future crop in the avenue of agriculture and functional food.

Estimation of spatial demographic maps from polymorphism data using a neural network.

A fundamental goal in population genetics is to understand how variation is arrayed over natural landscapes. From first principles we know that common features such as heterogeneous population densities and barriers to dispersal should shape genetic variation over space, however there are few tools currently available that can deal with these ubiquitous complexities. Geographically referenced single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data are increasingly accessible, presenting an opportunity to study genetic variation across geographic space in myriad species. We present a new inference method that uses geo-referenced SNPs and a deep neural network to estimate spatially heterogeneous maps of population density and dispersal rate. Our neural network trains on simulated input and output pairings, where the input consists of genotypes and sampling locations generated from a continuous space population genetic simulator, and the output is a map of the true demographic parameters. We benchmark our tool against existing methods and discuss qualitative differences between the different approaches; in particular, our program is unique because it infers the magnitude of both dispersal and density as well as their variation over the landscape, and it does so using SNP data. Similar methods are constrained to estimating relative migration rates, or require identity-by-descent blocks as input. We applied our tool to empirical data from North American grey wolves, for which it estimated mostly reasonable demographic parameters, but was affected by incomplete spatial sampling. Genetic based methods like ours complement other, direct methods for estimating past and present demography, and we believe will serve as valuable tools for applications in conservation, ecology and evolutionary biology. An open source software package implementing our method is available from https://github.com/kr-colab/mapNN.

Landscape genetics of spruce grouse at the trailing edge of the boreal forest

Populations on the periphery of a species range generally occupy marginal or less continuous habitat and can have greater extinction risk than populations in the range‐center. For climate‐sensitive populations on the trailing edge of a species' distribution (i.e. low latitude or low elevation), the effects of climate change are expected to compound these threats, increasing the vulnerability of these populations. The spruce grouse Canachites canadensis is a boreal forest specialist that is expected to experience range contraction at the trailing edge of its range due to climate change. In this study, we investigated the genetic structure, genetic diversity, and connectivity of spruce grouse in Minnesota, along the southeastern range limit in the United States. Clustering algorithms and genetic diversity indices suggested a single continuous population occurred throughout northern Minnesota. We detected no signatures of recent inbreeding or population bottlenecks. We used maximum likelihood population effects modeling and identified coniferous forest land cover and lower average spring temperatures as predictors of gene flow. We used two approaches based on circuit theory to map the potential for gene flow and identified regions of consistently high gene flow in the northwest and northeast of the study area. Omniscape, which incorporated additional parameters representing the likely origins of dispersers and the maximum dispersal distance, suggested a more continuous gene flow landscape than did Circuitscape. Our work highlights the current genetic integrity of one of the largest populations of the eastern subspecies of spruce grouse C. c. canadensis in the United States, identifies key landscape attributes for functional connectivity, and demonstrates complementary approaches of Circuitscape and Omniscape for gene flow mapping.

Critical metals: Their applications with emphasis on the clean energy transition

The global demand for metallic mineral resources has been rising constantly not only due to the world's continued population growth, but also accelerated by the recently proclaimed 'green energy transition' aiming to replace fossil fuels by wind, solar, hydrogen, and geothermal energy. The current situation causes a dilemma as the supply of metallic mineral resources is limited and, at least when this article was written, most critical metals neither can be substituted nor recycled economically and at industrial scale. As a consequence, metallic mineral resources must be considered as non‐renewable commodities.This study documents the main industrial applications and supply risks of the critical metals with special emphasis on their respective roles for the green (also referred to by the media as clean or renewable) energy transition. In summary, the natural distribution of critical metals in the Earth's upper crust is very heterogeneous and, at current consumption rates, will likely lead to supply risks in the near future. More specifically, >40 vol% of the global reserves of critical metals, such as chromium, palladium, and platinum (South Africa), cobalt (Democratic Republic of Congo), cadmium, indium, rare earth elements, and tungsten (China), are concentrated in only a single country with obvious geopolitical and strategic implications. Importantly, most of these strategic metals, apart from chromium, are considered crucial for the success of the green energy transition.

ЯДРОЛУК ФИЗИКАНЫ АЙЫЛ ЧАРБАСЫНДА КОЛДОНУУДАГЫ ƟЗГƟЧƟЛYКТƟР

This article examines the features of the use of nuclear physics in agriculture as an important tool for improving production processes, increasing yields and quality of agricultural products, as well as for ensuring sustainable development of the agricultural sector. The application of nuclear physics in agriculture requires international cooperation and the exchange of experience between States, which contributes to the accelerated implementation of innovative solutions and technologies. The use of nuclear physics in agriculture in general has great potential to improve the living conditions of rural residents, ensure food security and sustainable development of the agricultural sector. In the context of continuous population growth, climate change and limited natural resources, agricultural producers are forced to seek innovative methods to increase the yield and quality of agricultural products.

Estimation of spatial demographic maps from polymorphism data using a neural network.

A fundamental goal in population genetics is to understand how variation is arrayed over natural landscapes. From first principles we know that common features such as heterogeneous population densities and barriers to dispersal should shape genetic variation over space, however there are few tools currently available that can deal with these ubiquitous complexities. Geographically referenced single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data are increasingly accessible, presenting an opportunity to study genetic variation across geographic space in myriad species. We present a new inference method that uses geo-referenced SNPs and a deep neural network to estimate spatially heterogeneous maps of population density and dispersal rate. Our neural network trains on simulated input and output pairings, where the input consists of genotypes and sampling locations generated from a continuous space population genetic simulator, and the output is a map of the true demographic parameters. We benchmark our tool against existing methods and discuss qualitative differences between the different approaches; in particular, our program is unique because it infers the magnitude of both dispersal and density as well as their variation over the landscape, and it does so using SNP data. Similar methods are constrained to estimating relative migration rates, or require identity by descent blocks as input. We applied our tool to empirical data from North American grey wolves, for which it estimated mostly reasonable demographic parameters, but was affected by incomplete spatial sampling. Genetic based methods like ours complement other, direct methods for estimating past and present demography, and we believe will serve as valuable tools for applications in conservation, ecology, and evolutionary biology. An open source software package implementing our method is available from https://github.com/kr-colab/mapNN .

Coupling coordination and interactive relationship between population urbanization and land urbanization from the perspective of shrinking cities: a case study of Jiangsu province, China

Introduction: Urban contraction brings about certain impacts on the advancement of urbanization.Methods: This paper explores the coupling coordination (CCD) and geographical distribution of land urbanization (LU) and population urbanization (PU) in Jiangsu Province through a CCD model and a spatial autocorrelation model from the perspective of shrinking cities. The Panel Vector Autoregression (PVAR) model is constructed to deeply investigate the complex interaction between the PU-LU in 13 cities, 2007-2020.Results: The study found that the PU-LU CCD in each of the above-mentioned cities shows a synergistic incremental evolution during the study period in terms of time series. In addition, in terms of spatial characteristics, the CCD of PU and LU shows significant positive global spatial autocorrelation, and the CCD of cities with high population size growth is much larger than that of cities with continuous population size. Last, there is an interactive response relationship between PU and LU. PU influences LU, however, PU itself is influenced by its own system’s internal structure. The impact of PU on LU shows a positive cumulative effect of the “inverted U shape.”Discussion: Furthermore, this paper proposes that policies be created to ensure the coordinated growth of PU-LU based on the differences in resource endowments of cities with 3 types of urban shrinkage. The link between floating population and construction land for cities should be established through enhancing the extent of intensive land use and reforming household registration.

Achieving spatial balance in environmental surveys under constant inclusion probabilities or inclusion density functions

AbstractIn environmental and ecological surveys, well spread samples can be easily obtained via widely adopted tessellation schemes, which yield equal first‐order inclusion probabilities in the case of finite populations of areas or constant inclusion density functions in the case of continuous populations. In the literature, many alternative schemes that are explicitly tailored to select well spread samples have been proposed, but owing to their complexity, their use should be preferred only if they allow us to achieve a valuable gain in precision with respect to the tessellation schemes. Therefore, by means of an extensive simulation study, the performances of tessellation schemes and several specifically tailored schemes are compared under constant first‐order inclusion probabilities or constant inclusion density functions.

THE EFFECT OF AGING POPULATION, FERTILITY RATES, AND POPULATION GROWTH ON ECONOMIC GROWTH IN INDONESIA

The declining fertility rate in Indonesia, coupled with an increasing aging population and continuous population growth, has become a national concern, leading to potential alterations in Indonesia’s economic landscape. This research delves into the ramifications of Indonesia's aging population, fertility rates, and population growth on its economic growth, employing a comprehensive analysis of time series data from 1961 to 2022. Utilizing multiple linear regression, this investigation aims to unveil the interconnectedness between demographic variables and economic advancement. This study found that the aging population has no statistically significant influence on economic growth. However, fertility rates demonstrate a notable negative impact on economic growth, while population growth showcases a significant positive influence on economic growth. These findings underscore the necessity for targeted policy interventions aimed at addressing demographic shifts to ensure sustainable economic development in Indonesia.

Rate of desertification, climate change and coping strategies: Insights from smallholder farmers in Ghana's Upper East Region

Climate change and desertification are global issues that are affecting agricultural activities in Sub-Saharan Africa. These phenomena have made it challenging for smallholder farmers to cope with the emerging global food crises. This article examines the evidence of desertification and climate change and how smallholder farmers in the Upper East Region of Ghana are responding to these threats. Primary data was analysed through interviews and focus group discussions. We used Landsat satellite-based annual mean Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, climate, crop production data, and reports from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and other NGOs as secondary sources. We interviewed eighty respondents using case history and snowball sampling. The mean annual NDVI declined from 0.5 in 1998 to −0.10 in 2022. NDVI values suggest a decline in green vegetation health to a negative value, suggesting a non-vegetative surface. This means that the process of desertification has progressed to severe levels, resulting in little to no vegetation cover on the land surface. Similarly, rainfall data suggests a sharp decline in annual rainfall while farmers change the types of crops and the timing of planting. Farmers discussed the impact of climate change and desertification on their livelihoods. They have implemented approaches like using synthetic fertilisers, planting drought-resistant crops, practising dry-season farming, irrigating their crops, and building social support networks. Food insecurity and land degradation are major issues due to continuous cropping and population growth. Smallholder farmers suggest providing them with affordable, drought-resistant seedlings with shorter gestation periods to increase food production and avoid insecurity.