Abstract:
Transforming food systems and improving production sustainability is core to
achieving the sustainable development goals. This study evaluates the nexus of climate
change responses, food security and sustainable agricultural practices in the Volta Region of Ghana. With a
cross-sectional survey design backed by the pragmatist
philosophy, primary data were collected from 733 maize-farming households using
structured interview schedule. A multi-phase sampling technique was employed to select
9 administrative assemblies, 3 from each geographical zones of Northern, Middle and
Southern Volta. Several analytical tools including binary logistic and multiple linear
regressions, consolidated approach to reporting food insecurity, Garret factor rankings
techniques, Friedman rank tests, analysis of variance, and structural equation modelling
were used. Major findings indicate that though farmers produce at least two different
varieties of maize in tandem, Obatampa is the most important variety. Important
constraining factors to maize enterprise were undercapitalisation, low yield, diseases and
pests outbreaks, uncertain demands, inadequate infrastructure and lack of market
information. Majority (53.8%) of the households were food insecure across the region.
Most maize farmers reported negative climate change effects and have adopted diversity
of response strategies to avert the situation. Farmers have positive attitudes towards
sustainable agriculture, which significantly influenced production sustainability. The
major latent variables that significantly influenced food security were responses to
climate change, livelihood diversification and attitudes and practices of sustainability.
This implies that farmers could improve food security levels by practicing sustainability.
Farmers should also increase their adaptive capacity to climate change through
production sustainability.
