Coping with Adversity: Resilience Dynamics of Livestock Farmers in Two Agroecological Zones of Ghana

Abstract

Despite the increasing occurrence of adverse events including droughts and conflicts, livestock farmers in Ghana continue to raise animals to support their livelihoods and the national economy. We assessed the resilience of cattle farmers (CF) to adverse events they faced using a cross-sectional survey of 287 CF in two agroecological zones in Ghana. Resilience to adversities was assessed using the Resilience Scale (RS-14). Resilience scores and categories were computed and factors that explained variations in resilience categories assessed. The farmers kept, on average, 31 cattle per household, with a majority (91%) also growing crops. Key adverse events confronting them in both districts were animal disease outbreaks, pasture shortages, and theft, with 85% (240/287) losing, on average, seven cattle (15% of the herd size) over a one-year period. The mean resilience score was 71 (SD = 8) out of 98; 52% were highly resilient. Resilience was higher in the southern district (72 versus 70), albeit not statistically significant (p = 0.06). The resilience significantly improved with age, each unit increase in cattle in the herd, and having experience raising livestock (p < 0.001). The CF have relatively high resilience to adverse events affecting their productivity. The findings provide relevant information for implementing mitigation measures to improve production by reducing animal mortalities through high-quality veterinary services.

Management of diseases in a ruminant livestock production system: a participatory appraisal of the performance of veterinary services delivery, and utilization in Ghana

“…These ndings are intuitive, as previous research among sections of the target population, showed animal diseases as the major bottleneck to the productivity and wellbeing of cattle farming households, as well as the use of self-treatment and sale of diseased animals by farmers as a coping strategy to deal with the lack of adequate veterinary services (12,22,27). The discordance between the perceived effects of the adverse events on livestock production between the farmers and their VOs was logical, given the reported shortfalls in the veterinary workforce and service delivery to livestock farmers in Ghana (13).…”

Agroecology and resilience of smallholder food security: a systematic review

“…In Ghana, Nuvey et al (2021) also assessed how livestock integration or mixed farming influences household resilience among 287 sampled smallholders in the Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo and Kwahu Afram Plains South districts. Their sample involved 142 and 145 households that integrated the rearing of cattle in the farming system in the Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo and Kwahu Afram Plains South districts, respectively.…”