FORM 2: RESEARCH IN PROGRESS

(Progress Report)
PIN:

RESEARCH TITLE: Gender gaps in climate change and adaptations on beans

START DATE: June 2020 ESTIMATED DURATION: 12 months

SPONSORS: Pan African Bean Research Alliance (PABRA) BUDGET: USD38500

INFLOWS FOR THE QUARTER: USD38500

LOCATION: Ejura Sekyeredumase municipality, Atebubu Amantin district.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Prof. James Asibuo

PARTICIPATING SCIENTISTS: Patricia Pinamang Acheampong, Stephen Yeboah, Richard
Adabah
COLLABORATING INSTITUTIONS. Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Farmer based
organizations

OBJECTIVES:
1. Assess climate change perception among males and female farmers
2. Evaluate gender differences in climate change adaptations

METHODOLOGY:
The study was conducted in Ejura-sekyeredumase and Atibubu Amantin Municipalities of the
Ashanti and Bono East regions respectively. The study area falls within the forest transition zone,
where the climatic conditions are favorable for production of common bean and cowpea.

Multistage sampling technique was adopted for the sampling and data collection. Communities as
well as the sampling units were randomly selected. Sixteen communities were randomly selected

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from the two districts and 10 farmers randomly selected from each of the community. A total 160
respondents were interviewed face to face. Due to incomplete information, data from 6 respondents
were discarded and information on 154 was used.

RESULTS ACHIEVED SO FAR:

Sociodemographics of respondents
Table 1 presents the socio-demographic characteristics of sampled farmers in Ejura and Atebubu.
Across both districts male cowpea farmers dominated female farmers, this was statistically
significant at the 1% level. The average age of farmers across the districts was 43 years. An average
cowpea farmer had acquired 5 years of formal education. This depicts the high level of illiteracy
among Ghanaian cowpea farmers. Farmers in Atebubu however were more educated than farmers in
Ejura with an average of 6 years of formal education as compared to 4 years among farmers in Ejura.
This difference was also significant statistically at 1% level. This again is confirmed in Figure 2 as
the majority of farmers in Atebubu had had at least a basic education compared to their counterparts
in Ejura where majority of the famers had had no form of formal education.

On the average a cowpea farmer had 19 years of experience in farming with 11 years of cowpea
cultivation experience. With regards to the pooled sample an average family size of a cowpea farmer
consisted of 9 members.

Table 1: Descriptive Statistics of Farmers by District

District
Ejura Atebubu Pooled
t-stat.
Variables (n=78) (n=76) (n=154)
Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD
Gender (1=Male) 0.44 0.50 0.76 0.43 0.58 0.49 -4.36***
Age 44 13.61 42 11.72 43 12.70 0.8411
Years of schooling 4 4.81 6 5.12 5 5.06 -2.66***
Farming experience 19 11.74 19 9.89 19 10.83 0.25
Cowpea farming experience 12 7.64 10 5.35 11 9.51 1.94*
Household size 8 4.52 9 6.34 9 5.52 -1.40

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 * * **
ª =measured in percentage; SD=Standard Deviation; = 10% significance level; = 1%
significance level

Farmers’ awareness of climate variability

Following from the first quarter results further analysis sought farmers’ knowledge on temperature
and precipitation shift over the years. Figure 1 and 3 illustrate knowledge of farmers and their
perception with regards to direction of change in temperature and precipitation in the study area.
The results revealed that both males and females were very much aware of the changes in
temperature and precipitation. Overall, 94% of respondents mentioned change in temperature and
91% mentioned change in precipitation.

100
90
80
70
Percent of farmers

60
50 No
40 Yes

30
20
10
0
Female Male Pooled Female Male Pooled
Temperature Precipitation

Figure 1. Farmers’ awareness of temperature and precipitation change

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 100
90
80
70
percent of farmers

60
50 Female
Male
40 pooled
30
20
10
0
Warmer Cooler Drier wetter
Temperature Precipitation

Figure 2. Farmers’ expression of level of awareness on temperature and precipitation change

Levels of change as expressed by farmers are as shown in Figure 2. The majority of farmers were of
the view that the rains had reduced hence the weather was drier than before. Again majority
expressed worry about temperature change. Ninety-eight percent of males and 96% of females
respectively said it was warmer than before.

Figure 3 shows the various means by which farmers predict the weather in relation to their farming
activities. Across both gender groups the use of radio to solicit weather information was the principal
means. However, there were differences with regards to the use of past season weather and expert
opinion among male and female cowpea/bean farmers. Relatively more male farmers solicit for
expert opinions than the use of previous season’s weather. On the other hand, among female
cowpea/bean farmers, the use of previous season’s weather was used more than sorting to expert
opinions.

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 53.23
49.67
47.25
Farmers (%)

29.67
26.80
23.08 24.19 23.53
22.58

Male Female Overall

Gender

Use past season weather Expert opinions Radio

Figure 3: Means of weather prediction among Famers

NUMBER OF CONFERENCES PAPERS PRODUCED: Nil

NUMBER OF TECHNOLOGIES PROTECTED THROUGH INTELLECTUAL

PROPERTY RIGHTS: Nil

WAY FORWARD: A manuscript would be developed and submitted by the close of

September 2021.

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