Literature on the contribution of local level institutions to the development of collective response strategies to socio-ecological change is limited. In this article, the role of local-level institutional arrangements in developing and mobilising stocks of adaptive capacity is examined. Using Focus Group Discussion and Interviews, participants drawn from 7 communities in the Saboba district of Ghana were engaged on the local level institutional arrangements, their impacts on climate change adaptation and their effects on the climate change decision making of rural dwellers in the district. Using the qualitative content analysis technique to analyse the data, it was evident that local level institutional arrangements impacted the practise of adaptation strategies both negatively and positively. 

Northern Ghana is becoming vulnerable to risks induced by climate change. There is an urgent need to improve communities’ ability to cope by implementing risk-preventive measures at the household and community levels. However, studies have shown that the existing risk communication system often fails to encourage the people to implement risk-preventive measures because community concerns are not seriously taken in the adaptation planning and management process. The present study systematically examines community concerns about existing risks and possible adaptation strategies by conducting group meetings in four rural communities in the Wa West District. Results show that local communities consider drought or water scarcity to be the most severe risk from climate change because it is directly affecting their livelihood, which is mainly rain-fed subsistence agriculture. As their livelihood is increasingly affected by drought, the local communities are becoming more exposed to floods and other natural calamities. Presently, the climate change adaptation strategies of the local communities are weak and ineffective. It is found that improved irrigation facilitated by rainwater harvesting, watershed management, and seasonal weather forecasting are the preferred adaption strategies. Though a high level of intention to adopt non-structural preventive measures is observed, local communities report that a lack of knowledge and insufficient financial resources are major impediments to their implementation

Artisanal fisheries in Ghana account for more than two-thirds of the country’s food fish production and employ or support up to 2 million people. However, many fish stocks are close to collapse through overexploitation, especially stocks such as sardinella that are a staple food for Ghanaians. Climate change is expected to affect the fish themselves as well as fishing activities, increasing the already high risk to fishers’ livelihoods and Ghana’s food security. Here, we use a climate change risk assessment framework to assess vulnerability of Ghanaian fisheries, considering climate hazards, fish species sensitivity and socio-economic vulnerability of different fisheries sectors and regions. The results show that some of the species that constitute the highest catches in Ghana are highly sensitive to climate change, such as snappers, Congo dentex and groupers. Some species assessed as having low sensitivity to climate change in the region are migratory pelagic fish, including tuna. Species caught by artisanal fleets are typically more sensitive than those captured by semi-industrial and industrial fleets. Regionally, the highest climate risk is found for Volta in the east, and the lowest for the Greater Accra region, along the central part of the coastline. This information can be used to identify, with stakeholders, the climate adaptation actions that are most suitable for the different regions and fisheries sectors. Actions can be tailored to the different aspects of climate risk, helping the country to achieve its aims of restoring fish stocks, safeguarding livelihoods and improving climate resilience for Ghana’s artisanal fishers.

Agriculture remains the mainstay of people in Northern Ghana, employing 70 % of the labour force 
especially females. Agriculture in Northern Ghana is dominated by women who mostly cultivate on small 
scale and their farming activities are rain-fed. In general, the adaptive capacities of female farmers to 
climate change and variability are low due to under-resourcing of females’ agricultural activities. This 
study explored the factors influencing the adaptive capacity of smallholder women farmers to climate 
change and variability in the Northern region of Ghana. Questionnaire was administered to 210 randomly 
selected smallholder female farmers. The adaptive capacity index for farmers were computed and the 
generalised least square regression model was employed to determine factors influencing farmers’ 
adaptive capacities to climate change and variability. The empirical results revealed that membership of a 
farmer-based group, formal extension services, off-farm income, access to tractor, land ownership and 
participation in decision making significantly influence the adaptive capacities of female farmers to 
climate change and variability positively while farmers’ age and hired labour have negative influence on 
the adaptive capacities of smallholder female farmers . Therefore, the study recommends that smallholder 
women farmers should form farmer-based associations to share farming experiences; agricultural 
extension official should intensify contacts with farmers to educate them on modern agronomic practices; 
and women farmers be given priority in terms of income generation projects of government and NonGovernmental Organisations in the region to increase their resilience to climate change and variables.