Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Environ Res. 2022 Nov;214(Pt 3):114037. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114037. Epub 2022 Aug 8.
Flooding is one of the most destructive climatic hazards which has affected agricultural activities in the world, especially Sub-Saharan Africa. This article investigated the impact of the recurrent annual floods on food production and how subsistent farmers have adapted to resultant food insecurity in the Sudan Savannah agroecological zone of Ghana. The specific objectives of the study were to understand the nature of flooding (frequency, period and extent of coverage of flood water), how the perennial floods contribute to food insecurity, how farmers adapt to it to contribute towards policy development on flood control and improve food security. Primary data were collected using questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions and field observation. Secondary data were obtained from documents and reports from NADMO and MOFA. The questionnaires were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science and the focus group discussions, interviews, and fieldwork were analyzed manually using content analysis. The findings show that the study areas experience floods every year. Between 2007 and 2018, eleven floods event occurred in the study communities. The floods usually occur around August and September when rainfall is torrential coupled with overflow from the spillage of the Bagre dam upstream. The flooding has resulted in a decline in food production among subsistent farmers. As a result, households in study communities are food insecure. Farmers have learned to cope with floods/food insecurity by engaging in alternative livelihoods such as flood recession farming, dry season farming, petty trading. They have also employed other means such as rationings of food and social networks cope with food insecurity. In all these strategies, women play a critical role as they are largely in charge of food preparation and dishing. The study recommends strengthening of the alternative livelihoods, introduction of short maturing crop varieties, sensitisation of women on the preparation of healthy meals.
洪水是世界上最具破坏性的气候灾害之一，尤其对撒哈拉以南非洲的农业活动造成了影响。本文研究了 recurrent annual floods（周期性洪灾）对粮食生产的影响，以及在加纳苏丹萨凡纳农业生态区，自给农民如何适应由此产生的粮食不安全问题。本研究的具体目标是了解洪水的性质（频率、持续时间和洪水覆盖范围）、常年洪水如何导致粮食不安全，以及农民如何适应这些情况，以制定洪水控制政策和改善粮食安全。主要数据通过问卷调查、访谈、焦点小组讨论和实地观察收集。二手数据来自 NADMO 和 MOFA 的文件和报告。使用社会科学统计软件包（SPSS）分析问卷，使用内容分析法手动分析焦点小组讨论、访谈和实地工作。研究结果表明，研究区域每年都会发生洪水。在 2007 年至 2018 年期间，研究社区发生了 11 次洪水事件。洪水通常发生在 8 月和 9 月，此时降雨倾盆而下，加上上游巴格雷大坝的溢洪道溢出，导致洪水泛滥。洪水导致自给农民的粮食产量下降。因此，研究社区的家庭粮食不安全。农民通过从事替代性生计来应对洪水/粮食不安全，例如洪泛区农业、旱季农业、小本买卖。他们还采用其他手段，如定量配给食物和利用社交网络来应对粮食不安全。在所有这些策略中，妇女都发挥了关键作用，因为她们主要负责食物的准备和分发。该研究建议加强替代性生计、引进早熟作物品种、提高妇女对健康膳食准备的认识。
