By Charity Osei-Amponsah
The Upper West Region of Ghana experiences flooding and prolonged dry spells every year, which contributes to declining agriculture productivity. Climate change is not only reshaping ecosystems and economies but also transforming gender roles and power relations within rural communities. The ongoing persistent changes influence how women in particular gain access to, and control over, productive assets. The outcomes (positive or negative) of the changes impact existing vulnerabilities, informing women’s responses to climate resilience interventions and trigger further changes in accepted gender norms and values. Synthesized qualitative and quantitative datasets from 2,107 households in 21 selected rural communities in seven districts in the Savannah (Sawla-Tuna-Kalba) and Upper West (Daffiama, Lambussie, Nandom, Sissala East, Wa West and Wa East) regions in northwestern Ghana, throw light on the challenges and opportunities of the interplay between women’s empowerment, changing gender roles and climate resilience.
Opportunities for empowerment and resilience building
Women in the Upper West Region are increasingly participating in agricultural production, particularly through agricultural development initiatives like dry season gardening. This shift allows many women to engage in livestock (e.g., chicken and guinea fowls) rearing, often jointly with male household members. Such collaborations not only improve household food security but also enhance women’s economic independence and resilience against climate impacts. Women have been empowered through participation in locally led, community adaptation initiatives. They are now more actively involved in decision-making processes regarding agricultural practices, which enhances their capacity to adapt to climate variability.
Women volunteers in the agricultural development initiatives are trained to provide extension services specifically tailored for women who may not have previously benefited from such support. The extension agents help disseminate important agricultural knowledge and practices among women, enhancing their productivity and capacity to adapt to climate change challenges. Women in the study region have shown a remarkable ability to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices, particularly high-yielding and short-maturing crop varieties. This has allowed them to reduce dependency on male counterparts and enhance their autonomy in agricultural production. For instance, the adoption of improved maize varieties has been particularly beneficial to women, enabling them to increase yields and manage their resources more effectively. Most agricultural development programs and projects support women not only as farmers but also as micro-entrepreneurs in the non-farm sector. This dual focus is diversifying income sources for women, thereby enhancing their economic resilience.
Persistent challenges of gender inequality
Despite these advancements, women face significant barriers due to entrenched cultural norms that limit their access to land and high-value assets, such as livestock (e.g., cattle and sheep). Women undertake 85% of food distribution, yet struggle with land tenure security, which constrains their ability to effectively adapt to climate change. This lack of control over resources exacerbates their vulnerability to climate impacts like droughts.
The adverse effects of climate change, including prolonged droughts and flooding, disproportionately affect women’s livelihoods, as they are often pushed out of agricultural activities, their primary source of income. Many women resort to migration for work, which exposes them to harsh economic conditions and further limits their participation in community development.
Institutional frameworks often fail to adequately address gender disparities in climate action. Although policies exist that promote gender equality, implementation remains weak, resulting in continued marginalization of women in decision-making processes related to climate adaptation.
While there are notable opportunities for enhancing gender equality through increased participation of women in agriculture and local adaptation strategies, persistent cultural norms and institutional barriers continue to challenge their adaptive capacity in the face of climate change in Ghana’s Upper West Region. Addressing these complexities requires actionable strategies for fostering gender-sensitive resilience.
A call to accelerate action for gender equality in building climate resilient communities
To truly transform the agricultural landscape for better gender equality and resilience, concerted efforts are needed from all stakeholders.
Policy integration: Policymakers must mainstream gendered transformation analysis in climate resilience interventions. Recognizing the nuanced gender dynamics can help minimize trade-offs while amplifying positive outcomes.
Empowering women through resources and agency: Providing women with greater control over resources such as land, credit and irrigation systems is critical. Enhancing institutional support for gender and climate resilience expertise can further strengthen adaptive capacities.
Community engagement: Engaging local communities in a dialogue about gender norms and climate resilience ensures that interventions resonate with rural realities. This approach fosters acceptance and sustainability of transformative changes.
Scaling success stories: Development planners should leverage successful initiatives, such as Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) and small-scale farmer-led irrigation practices, to expand their reach and impact across vulnerable communities.
The Resilience Against Climate Change-Social Transformation Research and Policy Advocacy (REACH-STR) project, funded by the European Union, targets ongoing social transformations in northwestern Ghana, highlighting the importance of integrating gender perspectives into climate resilience programming.
As we observe International Women’s Day 2025, IWMI reaffirms its commitment to integrating gender equality into the fabric of climate resilience research and action. By empowering women, particularly in vulnerable agricultural contexts, we pave the way for more resilient and inclusive communities.
