Climate change information access among rural women farmers in Ghana

Climate information plays an important role in providing Early Warning Systems and increasing awareness of building capacity and disaster preparedness for a changing climate. Although women farmers in semi-arid environments are in dire need of access to climate information and support services, studies indicate that these women have yet to experience the full benefits of climate research, information, and support services that would enable them to effectively cope with and build adaptive capacity to the changing climate. This study sought to identify preferred information delivery pathways (reliability, timing, infrastructural development, and language) to enhance the resilience of rural female farmers. The study employed a quantitative approach, and data were collected through questionnaires. The study employed purposeful and simple random sampling to select 300 participants from 10 communities in Nandom and Lawra in the Upper West region of Ghana. The results revealed that the majority (84%) of the rural women farmers had knowledge of climate change/variability and perceived the variation as real because of the various manifestations they were experiencing. The study recommends strengthening trusted information sources to ensure sustained and harmonised information and support from key stakeholders. Key words: Adaptive capacity, climate change Ghana, climate change information, rural women farmers, semi-arid region.