Droughts, gender and rural household livelihoods in the Nandom municipality, Ghana

Abstract

In a technologized 21st century, the global community is grappling with the issue of climate change, within which drought is topical and considered the most threatening component of climate change, and its impact is much felt in societies where there is heavy dependence on natural resources for survival with minimal or low coping mechanisms. Most of these societies are to be found in Africa. This study, thus, examined drought and its effects on men's and women’s livelihoods among rural households in the Nandom Municipality of the Upper West Region of Ghana. The study adopted the drought identification theory. A non-experimental descriptive research design was used, allowing for the use of questionnaire administration and focus group discussions. Guides were used to solicit information from the respondents and participants. The target population was men and women in the ten communities. The questionnaire was administered to 100 women and men in the ten communities in the Nandom Municipality. The simple random sampling technique was used. Focus group discussions were held with three (3) men's groups and three (3) women's groups. The data was analyzed using the SPSS version 20 software, followed by descriptions, explanations, and narratives. The study revealed that droughts have devastating effects on the livelihood of rural households in the municipality. Thus, the rural households have to supplement their livelihoods with low-income jobs, including migrating to the southern part of the country to engage in menial jobs. Locally, households also engage in fuelwood and charcoal burning during drought periods. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) minimally support the rural pro-poor households during the drought periods. Comparatively, women’s drought stress is more severe than men's. Drought is also more severe among the aged, the illiterate, and the landless who are considered poor. Conclusively, drought is a real phenomenon in the Nandom Municipality, and it has more debilitating effects on women than men. Recommendations are the need for irrigation initiatives in the municipality and the assembly to incorporate and coordinate drought development interventions by national, international, governmental, and non-governmental organizations.