Effects of livelihood diversification on gendered climate vulnerability in Northern Ghana

Abstract

Climate change projections show worsening climatic conditions and impacts. At the same time, current and future forecasts of climate impacts are not gender neutral. Within a gendered perspective, this study examines the climate vulnerability of households in northern Ghana and estimated the effects of livelihood diversification on climate vulnerability levels. A total of 619 respondents from 432 farm households were selected through a multistage sampling procedure. The data were analysed using Livelihood Vulnerability Index with equal weighting and unequal weighting through principal component analysis. From the result, female household heads were most vulnerable to climate change, followed by female spouses and male heads. There was a statistically significant difference between gender vulnerability levels. Livelihood diversification has the potential of reducing climate vulnerability by 2.6–5.7%, 2.2–5.9% and 2.1–4.7% among male heads, female spouses and female heads, respectively. However, livelihood diversification increases climate vulnerability gaps between males and females. In conclusion, this study confirmed that women in northern Ghana are most vulnerable to climate change. Although livelihood diversification may reduce climate vulnerability, it would not address gendered climate vulnerability differences. Hence, livelihood diversification cannot be a sufficient condition for addressing gendered climate vulnerabilities but only a necessary condition. The study recommends that beyond enhancing livelihood diversification amidst climate change, deliberate climate efforts must be directed towards women, and fundamental gender discriminations such as stereotyping and social discrimination must be addressed.