Influence of sustainable livelihood capital on climate variability adaptation strategies

Abstract

This article argues that access to informational, financial, and human capital influences specific climate variability adaptation strategies. Even though this argument is highly supported within the conventional wisdom circle, the extant literature remains sparing, particularly covering non-arid spaces in the global south. Relying on cross-sectional data covering 150 smallholder crop farmers from southern Ghana, augmented with focus group discussions, we answer the research question: What is the relationship between access to financial, informational, and human capital and climate variability adaptation strategies in a peri-urban geography? The results were estimated using multivariate probit regression. The findings showed that informational, financial, and human capital significantly influenced climate variability adaptation strategies. Specifically, informational capital significantly influenced organic manure application and irrigation. Financial capital through savings significantly influenced crop rotation. Formal and informal credit sources had no significant influence on climate variability adaptation strategies. Human capital - household labour significantly influenced mixed cropping, organic manure, and irrigation. Formal financial institutions are encouraged to adapt tailor-made requirements that are sensitive to the high-level informalities pertaining to peasant farming. And consider reducing loan interest rates to foster financial inclusion. Governments in sub-Saharan Africa could target improving farmers access to informational, financial, and human capital to build resilient climate variability adaptations.