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Climatic Change (2014) 126:3144
DOI 10.1007/s10584-014-1195-z
Ernest Nti Acheampong & Nicholas Ozor & Eric Sarpong Owusu
Received: 4 September 2013 /Accepted: 26 June 2014 /Published online: 10 July 2014 # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014
1 Introduction
The impact of climate variability, manifesting in floods, droughts, unseasonal rains, and extreme events, create enormous developmental challenges for developing countries (IPCC 2001). The poorest communities in developing economies are hit hardest due to their dependence on climate-sensitive economic sectors, such as rainfed agriculture, and their limited economic, technological, and human capacities to adapt. Rainfed agriculture remains vital to the economies of Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. It covers 97 % of crop land and dominates food production (Calzadilla et al. 2010). Ghanas economy is primarily driven by rainfed agricultural production, which predisposes the economy to risks posed by climate variability.
Ample scientific evidence suggests that Ghana is highly susceptible to the impact of climate variability. For example, in the early 1980s and 2007, sporadic climate events accounted for long drought periods and flooding, resulting in severe food shortages particularly in Northern Ghana (World Bank 2011). The climate analysis showed an increase in both minimum and maximum temperatures, by 2.5 C and 2.2 C respectively, over a forty-year period from 1961 to 2001. The rainfall pattern showed a decrease in rainfall during the same period. Future changes in climate projections forecast a rise in annual mean temperature and a fall in mean annual rainfall in the six agro-ecological zones (Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2008). These outcomes indicate a potential increase in intensity and frequency of extreme events, such as droughts and floods, which will lead to a reduction in the crop growing period with serious implications for crop yields and food security (Lobell et al. 2011).
In spite of enormous investments in development projects and awareness creation, current development policies and plans are not well attuned to existing and imminent impacts of climate change and variability (Burton and van Aalst 2004). In many cases, development activities contribute to climate change through increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from carbon-
E. N. Acheampong (*)
Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa e-mail: [email protected]
N. Ozor
African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS), Nairobi, Kenya
E. S. Owusu
Institute of Development Research and Development Policy,...