DETERMINANTS AND EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES ON THE PERFORMANCE AND WELFARE OF ARTISANAL FISHERS IN THE BRONG AHAFO REGION

Abstract

It is evident that climate change is one of the greatest threats to several and diverse areas in contemporary literature. Its impact on fisheries is especially devastating when mentions are made about artisanal fishers whose survival depends on their primary activities of fishing. In fact, empirical evidence has been able to establish the rising temperatures and declining rainfall patterns across the different ecological zones in Ghana and further espoused the falling trends in terms of the average fish catch per annum. Since climate change is inevitable, it is imperative that these fishers employed various strategies to adapt to its glaring impact. Some of these adaptation strategies include changing fishing time, increased fishing time, investing in alternative livelihoods, moratorium and migrating to different fishing area. The major objective this research seeks to address is to determine the impact of climate change adaptation strategies on the performance as well as welfare of artisanal fishers along the Volta basin in the Brong Ahafo region. The specific objectives include examining the factors that determine artisanal fishers’ adaptation strategies to the impact of climate change; determining the effects of the adaptation strategies on performance of artisanal fishers and measuring the effects of the performance on household welfare of artisanal fishers. The research was justified on the basis of its contribution to policy, academic literature and methodology. Data for this research was cross-sectional in nature, collected from different fishing communities and specifically from 332 artisanal fishing households in two districts (Pru East and Sene West) using the systematic random sampling techniques. The research was primarily underpinned by the utility maximization theory and data was analyzed using the Multivariate probit analysis and the recursive models as in Conditional Mixed Process (CMP). Whiles the results revealed education, credit access, fisher experience monthly non-fish income, access to electricity, perception index among others as the factors that determine adaptation strategies, profits were found to be significant in determining welfare. Further, adapting to all the three adaptation strategies do not necessary yield more profits. The reasons been that, some of the adaptation strategies are noncomplementary and as such using them together rather makes fishers worst-off. The research then recommended that, artisanal fishers be given the requisite education, training and assistance in a well-crafted package by the government through collaborative efforts by the department of fisheries under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and other ministries and agencies among other stakeholders.