ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITIES OF THE DROUGHT TOLERANT MAIZE FOR AFRICA (DTMA) PROJECT IN THE NORTH OF GHANA. Draft Report

Transcription

1 ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITIES OF THE DROUGHT TOLERANT MAIZE FOR AFRICA (DTMA) PROJECT IN THE NORTH OF GHANA Draft Report By K. O. Gyasi and A. N. Wiredu August, 2008 Savanna Agricultural Research Institute Box 52, Tamale, Ghana

2 Table of Contents LIST OF TABLES... III ACRONYMS... IV ACKNOWLEDGMENTS... IV 1. INTRODUCTION METHODOLOGY FOR CONDUCTING COMMUNITY SURVEY RESULTS AND DISCUSSION FEATURES OF TOLON/KUMBUNGU AND KARAGA DISTRICTS Physical, Social and Administrative Features Agro-Ecological Information Development Projects by Government and Non Governmental Organisations Unions, Associations and Cooperatives GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE COMMUNITIES Main Changes in the Past Decade Access to Health, Markets and Communication Facilities CROP/MAIZE PRODUCTION RISKS AND SHOCKS IN AGRICULTURE IN THE COMMUNITY ASPECTS GENDER IN FARMING (CROP PRODUCTION) CHANGES IN THE PRICES OF INPUTS AND OUTPUTS OF MAIZE CREDIT AND IN-KIND ASSISTANCE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS COMMUNAL PRODUCTIVE RESOURCES LIVELIHOOD SOURCES AND STRATEGIES FOOD SECURITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS SUMMARY CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS REFERENCE APPENDIX ii

3 List of Tables Table 1: Community survey locations in the Karaga and Tolon/Kumbungu Disticts of the Northern Region of Ghana Table 2: Types and Sources of Information for Community Assessment Study... 2 Table 3: Selected Communities for Focus Group Discussions and Number of Participants... 3 Table 4: Climatic data for Karaga and Tolon-Kumbungu Districts, Table 5: Crop Production in Karaga District, Table 6: Crop Production in Tolon-Kumbungu District, Table 7: Main Changes in the Selected Communities... 8 Table 8: Accessibility to Social Infrastructure... 8 Table 9: Trend in Agricultural Production Table 10: Risk and Risk Coping Strategies in the Selected Communities Table 11: Type of Changes in the Selected Communities Table 12: Local Organisations in Selected Districts Table 13: Livelihood Outcomes in the Selected Districts Table 14: Food Security Situation in the Selected Districts Table 15: Changes in the Environmental Conditions of the Selected Communities Appendix 1a: Major Crops Grown in the Selected Communities in Karaga Districts Appendix 1b: Major Crops Grown in the Selected Communities in Tolon-Kumbungu Districts Appendix 2a: Information on Maize Varieties in Karaga District Appendix 2b: Information on Maize Varieties in Tolon-Kumbungu District iii

4 Acronyms CIMMYT International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center DTMA Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa FGD Focus Group Discussion GoG Government of Ghana GPS Global Positioning Systems IITA International Institute of Tropical Agriculture KI Key Informant MCA Millennium Challenge Account MiDA Millennium Development Authority MoFA Ministry of Food and Agriculture NGO Non Governmental Organization NRGP Northern Rural Growth Program 0 C Degree Celsius PHC Population and Housing Census Acknowledgments This study was support by CIMMYT- an International Center for Maize and Wheat Improvement and IITA International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, and funded by the DTMA project. The authors would further like to thank scientists of both institutions, particularly Drs Augustine Langyintuo, Roberto Larovere, Diakala Sanogo and Abdoulaye Tahiru for their invaluable contributions. Appreciations are further extended to colleague scientists at the CSIR Savanna Agriculture Research Institute, Ghana. Finally, gratitude is extended to all farmers and stakeholders for their assistance to this study. iv

5 REPORT FROM A COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT FOR THE DROUGHT TOLERANT MAIZE FOR AFRICA (DTMA) PROJECT IN THE NORTH OF GHANA 1. Introduction The Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) Project is part of an overall Initiative to develop and disseminate appropriate drought tolerant maize varieties in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The objective is to decrease hunger and increase food and income security of resource-poor farm families in sub-saharan Africa. As climate change progresses with recurrent droughts lives and livelihoods are threatened and sometimes destroyed. In fact huge production losses have been recorded by the rural households in SSA who depend primarily on agriculture. The rural households who are described as resource-poor persons are also faced with declining soil fertility (Hodson et. al., 2002). Obviously, the development, distribution and cultivation of Drought Tolerant Maize (DTM) varieties are highly relevant steps required to reduce vulnerability, food insecurity and the damage to local markets accompanying food aid in SSA. The DTMA project is therefore expected to contribute significantly to an improvement in the livelihoods of rural households by increasing food security and incomes. A component of Objective 8 of the DTMA project is an assessment and targeting research intended to help create knowledge on delivery pathways and necessary modifications to DTM technology and complementary support measures to increase livelihood impacts. The activities to be undertaken include the conduct of household and community surveys designed to assess the impact of existing DTM varieties on the livelihood and the level of poverty among the farm households. The surveys are also expected to provide baseline information for the development and dissemination of new DTM varieties (Bamire, 2007). This report synthesizes the findings of the community assessment study conducted in the Six communities in two districts in the Northern Region of Ghana The community survey specifically aimed at capturing essential qualitative information and data that cannot be easily captured through the formal household surveys. It therefore serves as a complement to the household survey.. 2. Methodology for Conducting Community Survey The community survey was conducted in the Karaga and the Tolon-Kumbungu Districts of the Northern Region of Ghana. The region is one of the major cereals (maize) and grain legumes producing regions in Ghana. In particular, the survey districts are also noted for their significant contribution to maize production in the Region, and fall in areas with drought probability risks between percent 1. Indeed, both are districts in northern Ghana in which drought tolerant maize genotypes are being tested. The study began with reconnaissance visits to the district directorates of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) as well as the district economic planning units, to enlighten the district officers about the project and its objectives. The visits were also used to seek 1 See maps of failed seasons in Ghana (unpublished). DTMA community Survey Site Selection by Dave Hodson, CIMMYT.

6 information on the key maize producing zones as well as source secondary data relevant to the study. In consultation with the District Directors of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and other collaborators of the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) project, three maize producing communities were selected from each district for the community assessment study. These include Nyensung, Shebo and Shellanyilli in the Karaga District and Tingoli, Waribugu and Cheyohi/Kukuo/Mwoduo in the Tolon/Kumbungu District (Table 1). Table 1: Community survey locations in the Karaga and Tolon/Kumbungu Disticts of the Northern Region of Ghana. Districts Communities Number of participants Community reference point: GPS coordinates Altitude (m) Longitude Latitude Karaga Nyensung o W o N Shebo o W o N Shellanyilli o W o N Tolon/ Kumbungu Cheyohi/Kukuo/Mwodua o W o N Tingoli o W o N Woribugu o W o N Source: Community Survey data, August The community survey was conducted through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informants (KIs) interviews. Data from secondary sources (SD), including literature, project reports and documents from the district directorates of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) were obtained to complement the survey data. Prior to the conduct of each FGD, preliminary visits were made to the selected communities to share with the communities leaders the objectives of the project. Key Informants (KIs) such as representatives of farmers, community leaders and agricultural extension agents were identified. The objectives of the surveys were explained to them while they assisted in the planning the organisation of the FGDs. The community survey provided information on changes in living conditions, institutional setting and the state of infrastructure, adoption and dis-adoption of improved maize varieties, experiences and perceptions of the farm households on drought risk, maize production outcomes and constraints, as well as livelihood diversities and risk coping strategies. Additional information on the food security situation, market access and environmental conditions in the communities were also sought. In addition to the series of FGDs and interviews with KIs, secondary data on the profiles of the selected districts, their physical features, agro-ecological elements, maize production, development projects and the institutional setting were also obtained from the district directorates of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the District Assemblies (Table 2). Table 2: Types and Sources of Information for Community Assessment Study Type of information Source of information Code Description Administrative and social feature of districts SD District Profiles from the District Directorates of MoFA. Physical features SD Records from Statistical unit of the Regional Directorate of MoFA. Agro-ecological data SD District Profiles and Records from the District and Regional Directorates of MoFA. Government and NGO projects SD and KI District Profiles (MoFA) and 2

7 Interviews with District Chief Execurtives (DCEs) Unions/Associations/Cooperative SD and KI District Profile (MoFA) Main changes (Health, input and output market, communication and transport, land tenure) FG and KI Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Interviews with community leaders Crop production FG FGDs Maize production FG and KI Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Interviews with community leaders Risks and shocks in agriculture FG Gender in farming FG and KI Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Interviews with community leaders Credit institutions KI Interviews with community leaders Local organisations FG FGDs Common property resources FG FGDs Sources and strategies of livelihood FG FGDs Food secutity FG FGDs Environmental conditions FG FGDs A total of eight (8) FGDs were conducted in the six (6) selected communities. Six of the FGDs involved mostly the men in the communities while the remaining FGDs considered only women. The latter set of the FGDs were intended to capture the views of women in both districts and also help promote gender consideration in community programs. These were conducted in the Shebo and Cheyohi/Kukuo/Mwoduo in the Karaga and Tolon/Kumbungu Districts respectively. Each FGD involved a minimum 15 and a maximum of 20 participants (Table 3). Table 3: Selected Communities for Focus Group Discussions and Number of Participants Districts Communities Number of FGDs Number of participants Karaga Nyensung 1 17 Shebo 2 15 Shellanyilli 1 16 Tolon/Kumbungu Cheyohi/Kukuo/Mwodua 2 20 Tingoli 1 18 Woribugu Results and Discussion The results from the community assessment study are differentiated by district to allow for comparison. There is an initial description of the key features-including administrative, social, physical and agro-ecological features- of the districts as well as the various kinds of projects in the selected districts for the study. Next is the description of the state of social infrastructure and the institutional certain in the selected communities. Issues relating to socio-economic changes, health care, transport and communication, input and output markets and land tenure are discussed. The types of crop and varieties of maize cultivated in the communities are also described in addition to production risks and shocks. The institutional setting of the selected communities including; gender related issues, credit, local organisations and management of communal resources are also discussed. The discussion 3

8 finally considers the sources and threats to livelihood and the strategies employed to combat such occurrence Features of Tolon/Kumbungu and Karaga Districts Physical, Social and Administrative Features Karaga District is one of the newly created districts in the Northern Region. It was carved out of the then Gushegu-Karaga District in The District lies in the North-Eastern part of the Northern Region and shares boundaries with four districts in the Northern Region. The East and West Mamprusi Districts are to the North, the Savelugu/Nanton District to the West and Gushegu (the mother district) to the South. The district lies approximately between latitude 09 o 30 N and 10 o 30 N and longitude 0 o W and 45 o W. The average elevation of the District is about m above sea level. It covers an area of about 2,898 square km (about 289,800 ha) (Karaga District Profile, 2007). The current population of the district is estimated at 75,575 from a PHC 2000 figure of 62,719 at a growth rate of 2.7% (GSS, 2000). At the current growth rate the population will double in 20 years. The dominant tribe in the district is the Dagomba tribe. There are Mamprusi, Konkombas, Frafra, Akans, Ewes and Gas (Karaga District Profile, 2007). Tolon-Kumbungu District on the other hand is a relatively older District created in 1988 with Tolon as its capital. Tolon-Kumbungu is located closer to the centre of the Northern Region and is bordered in the north by the West Mamprusi District, the West Gonja District in the West. On the south and the east are the Savelugu-Nanton District and the Tamale Municipal Assembly respectively. The District lies between latitude 10 o N and 20 o N and on longitude 10 o W and 50 o W. The average elevation of the district is m above sea level covers an area of about 2,741 square km which is equivalent to 274,100 ha (Tolon-Kumbungu District Profile, 2007). The 2000 PHC puts figure for the population for the District at 132,338, but 2006 estimates put it at 145,876 (PHC, 2000) at a growth rate of about 3%. The population density is approximately 50 inhabitants per square kilometre. The dominant tribe in the area is the Dagomba. There are also Frafras, Akans, Ewes and Gas who live harmoniously among the Dagombas (Tolon-Kumbungu District Profile, 2007). Both Karaga and Tolon/Kumbungu districts are located in the Guinea Savannah Agro- Ecological Zone which stretches throughout the entire North Region of Ghana. They therefore possess similar climatic features. The Guinea Savannah Zone experiences a unimodal-a single cycle-rainfall pattern - beginning in May and ending in October. The average annual rainfall of the area is between 900 and 1000mm. Temperatures are high throughout the year with the highest of 36 degrees Celsius or above in March and April. Low temperatures are experienced between November and February (the harmattan period). Table 4 presents some minimum climatic data for the study districts in

9 Table 4: Climatic data for Karaga and Tolon-Kumbungu Districts, 2006 Climate Factor District Karaga Tolon-Kumbungu Rainfall Minimum Maximum Average Temperature Minimum Maximum Average Source: Tamale Meteorological Service, Agro-Ecological Information The vegetation is a typical guinea savannah type, characterized by drought resistant grasses and trees. Major trees are shea, dawadawa, mango, which are economic trees and form an integral part of the livelihood of the people. There is instability in the pattern of land use in both districts over the past three years. In the Karaga District for instance, the proportion of arable land cultivated increased from 9.02 percent (26136ha) in 2005 to 9.77 percent (28304ha) in Last year it declined again to 6.15 percent (17822ha). In Tolon- Kumbungu, the proportion of land cultivated also increased from percent (39396ha) in 2005 to percent (41629ha) in Last year land under cultivation in the District declined to percent ( ha). The major arable crops cultivated in the communities include, maize, rice, millet, sorghum, cassava, yam, groundnuts, cowpea and soyabean (Tables 5&6). Table 5: Crop Production in Karaga District, Commodity Land Production Yield Land Production Yield Land Production Yield MAIZE RICE MILLET SORGHUM CASSAVA YAM G'NUTS COWPEA SOYABEAN Land Use/ Proportion (9.02) (9.77) (6.15) Data Source: Statistics, Research and Info. Directorate (SRID), MoFA,

10 Table 6: Crop Production in Tolon-Kumbungu District, Commodity Land Production Yield Land Production Yield Land Production Yield MAIZE RICE MILLET SORGHUM CASSAVA YAM G'NUTS COWPEA SOYABEAN Land Use/ Proportion (14.37) (15.55) (12.45) Data Source: Statistics, Research and Info. Directorate (SRID), MoFA, Development Projects by Government and Non Governmental Organisations Both the Karaga and Tolon/Kmbungu are two of the four districts in the northern intenvention zone for the implementation of the Ghana compact of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) funded by the United States of America. The Compact targets results measured in terms of poverty reduction and economic growth to be achieved through increased production and productivity of high-value and staple food crops and enhanced competitiveness in local, regional, and international markets (MiDA, 2008). Also worthy of mention is the Northern Rural Growth Program (NRGP), a new project that is intended to be implemented in 32 (including the project districts) of 34 districts in northern Ghana. NRGP is an IFAD funded project with support from FAO and the African Development Bank (ADB) that intends to focus on value-chain development, and crop productivity improvement, among others. Besides these major public programs that affect the survey districts, a number of social and economic development initiatives have been undertaken in the Karaga District. These projects mainly involve the construction of edifices for the district-which is a baby district. The projects are categorised as solely government projects, projects by NGOs and both. The construction of school complexes at Bagurugu and Pushiga and Tuyini, the buildings for the Kpugi and Zandua area council and the teachers quarters at Banduli are examples of government projects in the District. The European Union through the Government of Ghana (GoG) have also constructed a 20 seat toilet facility in Langogu. Another set of teachers quarters and a borehole to supply water have been constructed in Zankali-Da by DFID. There is also an ongoing market project in Karaga, funded by IDA/AFD/GoG. The Tolon-Kumbungu District is also endowed with a number of development projects. The President s Special Initiative (PSI) on Cassava project, the Land and Water Management Project (LWMP), the Village Infrastructure Project (VIP) and the Livestock Development Project are all under the government initiative. There are not specific to particular localities. 6

11 Other specific projects have been undertaken by NGOs namely, the construction of a mill at Nakpanyilli by OIC and the construction of a sanitary facility by DFID in Bonanyilli Unions, Associations and Cooperatives The main unions or associations found in the two districts, as we gathered for the KI, are the youth wings of the main political parties in the country. In both cases, there are the National Democratic Congress and New Patriotic Party Youth Wings. In addition to these, Karaga has a strong Islamic Association which is religious in nature. At the village level however, accounts were made of the existence of farmer based organizations, virtually on paper. Interactions with key informants revealed that in past most of these farmer groups are formed to meet the criteria for assessing group loans, and for that matter exist only for that purpose. More often than not these groups have no links to national level umbrella organizations. Similar farmer based organizations have sprang up in the survey districts and got registered to benefit from the activities of the MCA compact projects in area General Information on the Communities Main Changes in the Past Decade The men in all the communities identified negative changes in climatic conditions, output, soil, and poverty. The farmers indicated that given the current trend in climatic conditions, most of their farming activities have become very risky. They complained of the untimely nature of rains, prolonged drought and inadequate down poor. Due to continuous cropping and the absence of soil amendment practices, their soils have gradually lost fertility. These together have resulted in low productivity and increased poverty. Thus, in the perception of the participants of the FD, generally the communities are getting poorer. Unlike the communities in Karaga, the communities in the Tolon-Kumbungu District experience positive changes in some aspects of their lives. Cheyohi/Kukuo/Mwodua for instance have experienced positive changes in infrastructural endowment due to the construction of a mill in 2006 by an NGO. Educational and health facilities have also seen improvement in the past 10 years. They indicated the easy access to education and health by all members of the communities. The women in both districts identified climate change, low output and water shortages as the major changes that they have experienced in the past 10 years. In addition to these the women in Tolon-Kumbungu have also identified positive changes in terms of access to education and health facilities (Table 5). 7

12 Table 7: Main Changes in the Selected Communities Changes Districts Karaga Tolon/Kumbungu Men Women Men Women Cheyohi/ Cheyohi/ Nyensung Shebo Shellanyilli Shebo Kukuo/Mwodua Tingoli Woribugu Kukuo/Mwodua Climate Infrastructure - + Output Soil Education Health Poverty Water - - Source: Community survey, August Access to Health, Markets and Communication Facilities There was no health, market or fixed communication facilities in the communities visited in the Karaga district Members of the of Nyensung, Shebo and Shellanyilli communities journey through an average distance 12.6 km to get to Gushegu, the capital town of the Gushegu District, to access health care and market for input and output. Access to health facilities and markets appeared to be better for communities in the Tolon/Kumbungu district. The communities in the Tolon-Kumbungu District also have to journey through average distances of 4km and 6.33km to access health facilities and markets in Nyankpala and Tolon (Table 8). In all cases, the roads leading to the main points of reference were all season dirt roads. In particular, roads in the Karaga district are more impassable during the peak of the rains. In addition, there were no cases of HIV/AIDs infection and malnutrition in the communities visited. Table 8: Accessibility to Social Infrastructure Districts Communities Distance (km) Hospital Market Karaga Nyensung 9 9 Shebo Shellanyilli Average Tolon/Kumbungu Cheyohi/Kukuo/Mwodua 5 5 Tingoli 5 6 Woribugu 2 8 Average Source: Community survey, August

13 3.3. Crop/Maize Production In addition to the cultivation of a few different varieties of maize, the farmers in the Karaga district also cultivate groundnut, okra, millet, rice and yam for consumption. Soybean is also cultivated by the farmers but solely for sale. Maize varieties identified by communites in Karaga are Local Yellow, Okomasa, Obaatanpa and Dorke. Apart from Dorke which received 70 percent adoption, the rest were adopted by 100 percent of the households in the various communities. Dorke has since been dis-adopted completely by the farmers. They explained that the variety required intensive management and it is mostly characterised by huge yield variation. An extension agent (KI) indicated that MoFA has stopped the promotion of Dorke and that its cultivation is been discouraged among the farmers. Besides soybean and groundnut, the communities in the District ranked Okomasa as the most profitable maize variety followed by Obatanpa. They identified drought as the main type of risk associated with all the outlined crops. The communities ranked Dorke as the most risky maize variety followed Obaatanpa, Okomasa and the local yellow (Appendix 1a). Maize varieties identified by the communities in the Tolon-Kumbungu District are the Local Yellow, Okomasa, Obaatanpa, Dorke, Dobidi and Laposta. All these received 100 percent adoption by the farmers in the selected communities. They farmers still continue to cultivate the first three varieties Dorke and Laposta have been completely dis-adopted. An average of 20 percent of the farmers has also dis-adopted Dobidi. The farmers contended that the varieties had to be discarded because of the strict agronomic requirement associated with their cultivation. They indicated that Dorke was characterised by huge yield variations while the cultivation of Dobidi and Laposta comes with huge input cost. The dis-adopted maize varieties-laposta, Dobidi and Dorke-are have high management risk and have been ranked as the most risky to cultivate in that order. On the other hand, Obaatanpa and Okomasa are said to be vulnerable to drought risk but are the least risky to cultivate (Appendix 1b). All the varieties listed in Table 1a, and 1b (Appendix), except the local yellow, have been identified as improved varieties of maize. The main production constraint of the improved maize varieties is drought. The cultivation of the local yellow maize in Karaga is constrained by poor soils while in Tolon-Kumbungu drought continues to pose serious challenge to its cultivation. The cultivation of Laposta, a variety peculiar to Tolon-Kumbungu, is also constrained by poor soils (Appendix 2a and 2b). In both districts, Obatanpa reported to be the best yielder with a minimum yield of 5 bags (500kg/ha) and a maximum of 15bags per ha (1500kg/ha) on farmers field. In Karaga, Okomasa follows Obatanpa with a minimum yield of 4 bags (400kg/ha) and a maximum of 12 bags (1200kg/ha) and with Dorke yielding a minimum of 6bags and a maximum of 10 bags. The least performing variety, according to the farmers, is the Local yellow maize variety with a yield range of about 2-5 bags per ha. In 2007, the average minimum price of maize in the district was about GH 12 per bag 2 with the maximum at GH 60 per bag (Appendix 2a and 2b). In Tolon-Kumbungu, Obatanpa is followed by Dorke (reportedly yielding about13 bags), Okomasa (12 bags), Dobidi (10 bags) and Laposta (8) bags in that order. The minimum price of a bag of maize in the Tolon-Kumbungu district in 2007 was GH 14 with a maximum of GH 60 per bag in 2007(Appendix 2a). 2 US$1 = GH at the time of the survey. 9

14 In response to the current difficulty in agriculture and maize production, two of the selected communities in Karaga-Shebo and Shellanyilli indicated that agriculture farming in general and maize production in particular have become more difficult in recent times. This they blamed on unfavourable weather (droughts), high cost of inputs (particularly inorganic fertilizers), financial constraints and poor soils. The people of Nyensung perceive agriculture and maize production to be less difficult in recent time. They explained that efforts on crop variety diversification, training in proper agronomic practices and the availability of tractor services are major contributing factor (Table 9). On the contrary, two communities in Tolon-Kumbungu-Cheyohi/Kukuo/Mwoduo and Tingoli perceive agriculture and maize production as less difficult now as compared to a decade ago. Availability of improved seeds, training in appropriate agronomic practices, proper planning and effective pest and disease control are important ingredients in this regards. The people of Woribugu however perceive agriculture and maize production to be more difficult in recent times, a situation blamed on the unreliable weather conditions (low and erratic rainfalls in terms of onset, distribution, and duration), declining soil fertility and high cost of inputs(table 9). Table 9: Trend in Agricultural Production Districts Communities Changes in crop/maize production Karaga Nyensung Less difficult Shebo Shellanyilli More difficult More difficult Tolon/Kumbungu Cheyohi/Kukuo/Mwodua Less difficult Tingoli Woribugu Less difficult More difficult Reasons Crop variety diversification, agronomic training and tractor services Increase in input prices, financial constraints and poor soils, unreliable weather conditions High cost of input, climate change (erratic rains) and poor soils Proper planning, good management practices and effective pest and disease control Availability of seed, agronomic training and draft animals Erratic rains, declining soil fertility, and input cost 3.4. Risks and Shocks in Agriculture in the Community Out of a long list of risk conditions prevailing in the North of Ghana, five are common to the Karaga and Tolon-Kumbungu Districts. In Karaga, drought came up as the most important risk condition. The farmers explained that they lost virtually everything on the field. Their maize plants died back and nothing was left for them. They now have to stagger planting dates in order to wait for the rains. Erratic rainfall and massive floods were second to drought. Changes in rainfall pattern coupled to very heavy down pours that followed the drought swept the remains of maize plants scorched by the intense heat that was experienced during the drought period. This worsened the plight of the farm household and deepened their level of poverty. They saw these occurrences as the work of Nature, and could therefore do nothing to save such situation. Fourth is the sharp rise in the prices of agricultural inputs. The farmers complains that the situation impede their ability to adopt fully appropriate agronomic practices and improved technological packages that involve the use of external inputs. At the bottom of the list of risk 10

15 conditions identified is livestock disease. The farmers explained that they encountered great losses to their flock as a result of what they call a strange disease. They actually relied on their livestock as a source of capital to finance crop production, debts and the other household expenditure (Table 10). In the Tolon-Kumbungu District, Drought again came up as the primary risk condition. As explained earlier, it resulted in huge losses and farmers were deprived of the year s harvest. The farmers here intend to adopt early maturing varieties of maize so that they can harvest early to avoid the drought. With the early maturing varieties, they could crop their lands 2-3 times during the rainy season. Floods and high input prices followed as the third most important risk conditions that the farmers in the selected communities face. While the floods erodes the soil and wash away plants, high input prices also swell the cost of production making life unbearable for the farmers. The farmers seek to plant early to avoid the floods but have no strategy against the high cost of inputs. Livestock diseases also pose serious threat to agriculture and livelihood. As a source of financial security, death of livestock is devastating to the lives of farm households in the selected communities (Table 10). Table 10: Risk and Risk Coping Strategies in the Selected Communities Karaga Tolon-Kumbungu Shocks Rank Coping Strategy Rank Coping Strategy Drought 1 Late planting 1 Plant early maturing Floods 2 Nothing 3 Early planting Input prices 4 Nothing 3 Nothing Livestock disease 5 Consult veterinary 5 Consult veterinary Erratic rains 2 Plant early varieties 2 Plant early maturing 3.5. Aspects Gender in Farming (Crop Production) The role of women in agriculture was the same for both districts. The women are normally involved in the cultivation. These are usually on small parcels of land (say, 025 acre) and are meant to supply vegetable for the farm households. They sometimes sell the surplus food to add to their income. However, they play very important roles on the household farms managed by their husbands. Apart from playing major roles in planting, weeding and harvesting, women are largely responsible for transporting and threshing of crops. The women are also involved in the collection and processing of Shea nuts (into sheabutter) and dawadawa (into a local spice also know as dawadawa), which constitute major income generating activities for women in the two districts. The women in Karaga in particular are also involved in the processing of soya beans into dawadawa and other local recipes for sale Changes in the Prices of Inputs and Outputs of Maize Between 1997 and 2007, Ghana and the world at large have experienced continual increases in the price of commodities. The agricultural industry in Ghana has also seen increases in the nominal prices of both inputs and output. The records in Table 11 show about a 1000 percent increase in the price of fertilizer for the said period. Similarly, the average price of maize grains have increased from GH 7.00 to GH 40.00, about 470% change. Again, the unit cost of labour, insecticides and pesticides have also seen appreciable increases. Explain that these are nominal price changes inflation has been high in the past in Ghana. 11

16 Table 11: Type of Changes in the Selected Communities Direction of Price trend ( ) (Gh ) change Main input Seed Increased Fertilizer Increased Labour Increased Output Grains Increased Green Increased Current prices (mini./max) (Gh 3.7. Credit and In-Kind Assistance The results from the community survey revealed the non-existence of any form of credit institutions or credit arrangements in all the survey communities. This issue of credit featured prominently during the Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and concerns raised were confirmed by an agricultural extension agent (KI). Farmers in the survey communities wish to be linked to financial and credit organisation in order to enhance their chances of obtaining credit. Indeed, in the perception of the respondents the credit situation has remained unchanged for the past decade Local Organizations and institutions Various commodity based producer organizations were identified across the survey communities. Notable among these is the Small Ruminant Farmers Association, a farmer organisation, the establishment of which was facilitated by the Animal Research Institute (ARI). The rest which include the Soya Bean Group, Maize Group, Cotton Group and Women Group were established out of felt need, by the citizens themselves with assistance from a number of Non-governmental Organisation. There is also a Youth association in Cheyohi/Kukuo/Mwodua which was constituted by a group of Muslim Clergy. Members of the selected communities agree that these organisations have been helpful (Table 12). Table 12: Local Organisations in Selected Districts Districts Communities Organisations Karaga Nyensung Ruminant*, soya bean, maize and cotton groups Shebo Ruminant group Shellanyilli Ruminant, soya bean and maize group Tolon/Kumbungu Cheyohi/Kukuo/Mwodua Ruminant, women and youth groups** Tingoli Ruminant group Woribugu Ruminant, guinea worm, maize, cowpea and cotton group *formed by the Animal research institute (ARI). ** formed by the clerks of Islamic religion 12

17 3.9. Communal Productive Resources Land and labour constitute the most important communal resources in the study area. Land in the study area is seen as communal property vested in the Skins 3. Members of communities only hold usufruct rights, and are entitled to transfer portions of communal land to cultivate to male children and generations to follow. However, it is only the chief of the community that reserves the right to disposal or lease any portion of the communal land. On the other hand, labour market in the area is said to be very thin, it is either unaffordable or inaccessible. Household members having excess labour demand therefore rely on communal labour, which they can mobilize from relatives and friends. Usually, the host is not obliged to repay, but it is moral for one to reciprocate if anyone makes a similar call. It is also a common practice for young people in the area to engage in non-market mechanisms of labour exchange. This is undertaken to reduce labour risks.. Apart from land, water resources are also held as communal resource. No matter on whose land they may be situated are free-for-all to all members of the community. All the communities also have dug-out wells from which portable water is collected for household chores and the provide drink for farm animals Livelihood sources and strategies Generally, men in the surveyed communities had limited sources of livelihood. For them, crop farming and animal rearing were the most important income generating activities. Few engage in handicrafts working as day labourers to earn some income. Women, on the other were engaged in a variety of economic activities. These include crop farming, food processing, and Sheabutter extraction. Other activities undertaken by women include petty trading, firewood collection, pottery and weaving. In both districts, crop production and livestock rearing lead as the two key sources of livelihood. These activities involved all members of the households and provided the farm household with all the necessary staple foods that they require. For Karaga, the collection of grown and natural fruits such as Sheanuts and dawadawa ranks third on the list. Here it is mostly undertaken by women and children in the communities. Craftsmanship lies on the fourth and last position of the list of livelihood activities in Karaga. This is usually undertaken by men and women in the communities (Table 13). Table 13: Livelihood Outcomes in the Selected Districts Karaga Tolon-Kumbungu Rank Percentage Persons involved Rank Percentage Persons involved Crop production All All Livestock production All All Collection of grown and Women and Women and natural products children children Day labourer 3 70 Adults Handicraft 4 60 Men and women 5 50 Men In the Tolon-Kumbungu District, working as a day labourer follows crop and livestock production in the list of livelihood activities. The energetic adults within the communities Tolon-Kumbungu render services as labourers to farmers who may require extra hands for 3 In Ghana Chieftaincy is embodied in Stools (in southern Ghana) and Skins (northern Ghana). Lands collectively owned by the chief and the people are regarded as Stool/Skin lands. 13

18 their farm operations. They are paid wages which they use to finance other expenses. The fourth critical livelihood activity in the District is the collection of grown and natural products by women and children. Shea butter and dawadawa spice could be processed from these wild products, therefore serving as a source of off-farm employment and income. Lastly, the creation of handicraft by men in the District is essential as a livelihood activity. By this value is added to freely available natural resources to generate income (Table 15) Food Security In study area crop production is highly subsistence oriented. Production is primarily for home consumption and households do not make significant sales or purchases in the market of crops cultivated by it. Finding an appropriate definition of food insecurity that fits well into the circumstances in the study area was therefore a priority. Therefore, by consensus, hunger gap, ie., the time between stock depletion and next harvest, was accepted by the meetings and used as a working definition for food insecurity. Response from all the selected communities suggests a worsening food situation in the two districts (Table 14). Community members reported 3-5 months of food insecure periods. In most cases, the sale of small ruminants and other household assets served as means of surviving the deplorable food situation. In worse situations households are said to reduce the number of times food is served in a day. Apart from the members of Tingoli community in the Tolon-Kumbungu District who receive food aid, all the members of the other selected communities reduce other expenditure as coping strategy during periods of food inadequacy. Table 14: Food Security Situation in the Selected Districts Districts Communities Food situation Coping strategy Karaga Nyensung Worse Sale of small ruminant and assets, and reduce other expenditure, reduce number of meals served in a day Shebo Worse Sale of small ruminant and assets, and receive food aid Shellanyilli Worse Sale of small ruminant and assets, and reduce other expenditure, reduce number of meals served in a day Tolon/ Kumbungu Cheyohi/Kukuo /Mwodua Worse Sale of small ruminant and assets, and reduce other expenditure, reduce number of meals served in a day, youthful ones migrate Tingoli Worse Sale of small ruminant and assets, and reduce other expenditure, youthful ones migrate, reduce number of meals served in a day. Woribugu Worse Sale of small ruminant and assets, and reduce other expenditure Environmental Conditions The selected communities involved in the study have experienced a wide variety of environmental changes. In the Karaga District, there has been a reduction in the incidence of bush fire as a result of the enforcement of the bush fire law. However, due to population pressures, the rate of deforestation is on the ascendency. Continuous cropping on the same piece of land with no effort to amend the soil has also resulted in declining soil fertility. Insufficient rainfalls have also left most water beds dry creating acute water shortages. In Tolon-Kumbungu, negative changes in climatic pattern have been identified by members of the communities. This condition is characterised by erratic rains, droughts and floods and have resulted in huge losses to agricultural production. The members of the selected communities in the district have no idea about the cause of climate change. Deforestation and declining soil fertility have been blamed on continuous cropping in the district (Table 15). 14

19 Table 15: Changes in the Environmental Conditions of the Selected Communities District Changes Direction Causes Karaga Bush burning + Law enforcement Deforestation - Increased population Soil fertility - Continuous cropping Water - Low rains Tolon Climate - No idea Deforestation - Continuous cropping Soil fertility - Continuous cropping 4. Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations 4.1. Summary The success of the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) Project will go a long way to improve livelihoods and incomes by reducing vulnerability and food insecurity in drought prone areas on the continent. The assessment and targeting research which is expected to create knowledge on delivery pathways and necessary modifications to DTM technology and complementary support measures to increase livelihood impacts has become necessary. As a complement to the formal household survey, the community survey conducted in Northern Region of Ghana have aided in the capture of essential information that have been summarised below. The community survey was conducted in the Guinea Savannah Agro-ecological Zone of Ghana. The selection of Karaga and the Tolon-Kumbungu Districts is based on their relative higher drought probability risk and the growing importance of as local staple (fast replacing sorghum and millet) and cash crop in the area. Karaga and Tolon-Kumbungu are among the major maize producing districts in the Northern Region. Indeed, some of the sites for the DTMA varietal trials are located in the study districts. They also benefit from a number of projects implemented by the Government of Ghana, Non-Governmental Organisations and International Agencies. The study involved Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), interviews with Key Informants (KIs) and the collection of Secondary Data (SD) from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in three selected communities in each of the districts. The members of these communities are faced with worsening food situation and will have to the sell their livestock and other household assets to survive. Some members reduce other expenditures while others rely on food aid. Climatic change (typified in erratic rainfalls indeed experiencing both draught and floods within the same rainy season has become a common occurrence in the past decade), as well as declining output, declining soil fertility and poverty are negative changes identified by the selected communities. These pose great challenge to farmers and makes farming very risky. The communities have therefore become poorer over the last decade. In the Tolon- Kumbungu however, some communities have seen improvement in education, health and social infrastructure. In all, the members of the surveyed communities in both districts have to travel between 5km and 16 km to access health care and markets. Due to the declining soil quality, high cost of inputs and inclement weather farmers in some in Karaga perceive maize production to be difficult and risky. Other farmers in Tolon- Kumbungu perceive agriculture and maize production to be less difficult as a result of the 15

20 availability of improved seeds, training in appropriate agronomic practices, proper planning and effective pest and disease control methods. The presence of research and teaching institutions in the district is a contributing factor. Droughts, erratic rainfall, massive floods, volatile input prices and livestock diseases are risk conditions outlined by farmers in both districts. These have dire consequences on livelihood yet farmers have the least ability to deal with these conditions. Crop production, livestock rearing collection of grown and natural products, sale of labour and production of handicraft are important sources of livelihoods in both district. With regards to maize production, it was revealed that the members of the selected communities continue to cultivate local varieties of maize (Local Yellow) in addition to Okomasa, Obaatanpa and Dobifi. Due to yield variability and associated high cost of production Dorke and Laposta are no longer cultivated by the farmers. Women also have special roles in agriculture apart from the cultivation of oil seeds and vegetables on small parcels of land to provide food for the farm households and earn some income. They women are also involved in the collection and processing of Sheanuts and dawadawa (a local spice). The women in Karaga in particular are also involved in the processing of soya beans. This is because the District plays a significant role in the production of soya bean. The absence of credit facilities in both districts impedes smooth finance of agricultural activities. There are however beneficial local organisations which occasionally constitute labour force for communal work. A wide variety of environmental changes have been identified in both districts. Negative changes including deforestation, declining soil quality and low rainfall have been identified. Due to appropriate enforcement of bye-laws in Karaga, there has been a reduction in the incidence of bush fire Conclusion and Recommendations It is very clear from this community assessment that the farmers in the Northern Region of Ghana are highly vulnerable to the changes in climate. Yet they are helpless and have no option than to continue in the condition they find themselves in. Although some improved maize varieties have been identified, farmers still continue to cultivate the local variety which is early maturing. Declining soil fertility and high input prices also serve as source of frustration to the farmers. There is therefore the need for very early maturing and drought resistance varieties of high yielding potential. Due to the difficulty in accessing finance for agriculture and high input prices any intervention with minimum financial requirement will see massive adoption. Varieties that can do well in poor soils could also be considered. Further to these, efforts could also be made to strengthen the capacities of farmers to access credit and product markets. 16