TY - JOUR
T1 - Examining the risk mitigation strategies of farm households in Ghana
T2 - The role of community water resources
AU - Martey, Edward
AU - Etwire, Prince M.
AU - Asante-Addo, Collins
AU - Darko, Francis Addeah
AU - Suraj, Mustapha M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2025/1
Y1 - 2025/1
N2 - Agricultural water is indispensable for fostering resilient and sustainable agricultural practices. However, empirical evidence regarding the relationship between community water resources (CWR) and risk mitigation behaviours among farm households remains scant. Utilising nationally-representative household survey data and geospatial information on household locations, we investigate how access to CWR influences crop diversification and sharecropping. By employing instrumental variable techniques and conducting various robustness checks to address potential endogeneity concerns, our results consistently show that communities with access to water resources experience greater crop diversification and reduced sharecropping compared to those with limited access. This effect is particularly pronounced among male-headed, youth-headed, and smallholder farm households in the northern zone. While CWR may not be the sole determinant of crop diversification and sharecropping, it plays a significant role in shaping adaptive strategies amid drought challenges. Moreover, we identify committed time as a critical mechanism through which CWR influences these outcomes. Our findings offer valuable insights for policymakers aiming to allocate resources effectively, especially for vulnerable populations, in enhancing resilience to climate change-induced water scarcity.
AB - Agricultural water is indispensable for fostering resilient and sustainable agricultural practices. However, empirical evidence regarding the relationship between community water resources (CWR) and risk mitigation behaviours among farm households remains scant. Utilising nationally-representative household survey data and geospatial information on household locations, we investigate how access to CWR influences crop diversification and sharecropping. By employing instrumental variable techniques and conducting various robustness checks to address potential endogeneity concerns, our results consistently show that communities with access to water resources experience greater crop diversification and reduced sharecropping compared to those with limited access. This effect is particularly pronounced among male-headed, youth-headed, and smallholder farm households in the northern zone. While CWR may not be the sole determinant of crop diversification and sharecropping, it plays a significant role in shaping adaptive strategies amid drought challenges. Moreover, we identify committed time as a critical mechanism through which CWR influences these outcomes. Our findings offer valuable insights for policymakers aiming to allocate resources effectively, especially for vulnerable populations, in enhancing resilience to climate change-induced water scarcity.
KW - Committed time
KW - Community water resource
KW - Crop diversification
KW - Ghana
KW - Sharecropping
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85213500801&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123838
DO - 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123838
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85213500801
SN - 0301-4797
VL - 373
JO - Journal of Environmental Management
JF - Journal of Environmental Management
M1 - 123838
ER -