Perceived Climate Change And Food And Nutrition Security In The Bibiani-Anhwiaso Bekwai District In The Western Region Of Ghana

Abstract

Climate change has the potential to increase food insecurity and exacerbate malnutrition in small scale farming households through its impacts on crop yield and income. Using a mixed-methods design, a cross-sectional study was carried out in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso Bekwai District in the Western Region of Ghana among 210 farming households with children less than 5 years old with the objective of examining associations between perceived climate change and food and nutrition security. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on perceived climate change, awareness of climate change, household food security and coping strategies used to offset the negative impacts of climate change. A 24-hour household dietary recall was used to assess household dietary diversity (HDD) and dietary consumption patterns and anthropometric and biochemical measurements were used to assess the nutritional status of study participants. Four focus group discussions and 11 key informant interviews were carried out to find out about awareness of climate change in the study area, impact of climate change on dietary consumption patterns and coping strategies adapted to offset the negative impacts of climate change. Results from the quantitative study showed that 72% of the participants had perceived changes in weather patterns. Majority (94%) of the participants were food insecure and households that had perceived climate change were 11 times more likely to be food insecure than those that had not (p = 0.001). Sixty-one percent of mothers interviewed had normal BMI (between 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2) and 87% were non-anaemic. Underweight, stunting and wasting were of high public health significance among children below 5years. Approximately 29% of the children were underweight, 36% stunted, 10% wasted and 58% anaemic. There were no significant differences in the nutritional status and dietary diversity of participants from households that had perceived climate change compared to those that had not. Results from the qualitative study showed that participants had observed less predictable weather patterns which had negative impacts on crop yield, food security and dietary diversity. The main coping strategies adapted to offset the negative impacts of climate change include watering crops with water from other sources aside rain water, , adjusting planting seasons, diversification of livelihoods and storage of food among others. Participants however mentioned that the alternate water sources usually got dried up during long periods of drought The study therefore recommended an introduction of irrigation projects and educating farmers on modern and improved adaptive strategies to offset the negative impacts of climate change on food crop production.