Local determinants of global actions: understanding the key predictors of planned climate adaptation uptake among farmers in Ghana’s Upper East Region

Climate change and the associated extreme events present complex and challenging social-ecological threats to the world. Its impact on crop output particularly in Upper East region of Ghana has been phenomenal over the last 2 decades. In response, there have been several interventions to help farmers adapt to the impacts of the changing severity and frequency of climatic extremes in the region. This study interrogates the determinants of farmers’ adoption of planned climate adaptation interventions in the Upper East Region of Ghana. A multinomial logistic regression model was used to estimate the determinants of farmer adoption using data from 184 farmers in the Bolgatanga, Garu, and Tempane districts. The study revealed that farmers’ sex, age, level of education, farm size, perceived rainfall, perceived temperature variability, access to credit, extension services, and household labour force were the significant determinants of adoption in the region. The study recommends that achieving widespread adoption hinges on fostering an enabling environment that supports farmers’ socio-cultural, economic, and institutional needs. Additionally, intensify climate information services to increase awareness and improve perceptions of climate risk markers, which is fundamental to enhanced farmer adoption of planned interventions.