Agro-ecological intensification for climate change adaptation: Tales on soil and water management practices of smallholder farmers in rural Ghana

Abstract Globally, following the rising impacts of climatic stressors on humanity, climate change scholars have argued for alternative approaches towards adapting food crop production to climate change in sustaining smallholder farmers’ livelihood. This study used qualitative methods of data collection and analysis. Inspired by generational farming practices of smallholder farmers, drawing on their Agro ecological Intensification (AEI) practices, we contribute to climate change adaptation debates in Sub-Saharan Africa. We explore traditional AEI practices of smallholder farmers and their potential of adapting food crop production to climate change in the age of technology. We explored the link between smallholder farmers self-initiated soil and water management practices and AEI and discussed the implications for adapting food crop production to climate change via AEI practices. The study realized that smallholder farmers engaged in varied agronomic practices including the preparation and application of organic manure and compost ridging, crop rotation and cover cropping. Farmers applied multiple practices across different farms; compound and bush farms, valley fields, and gardens. Although these practices bear a resemblance to AEI in the form of improve soil fertility, health and water retention, we realized that smallholder farmers complemented self-initiated AEI practices with the application of chemical fertilizers to adapt food crop production to climate change. In sustaining food production, we argue that although AEI practices offer potential for sustaining soil and water, a concerted effort in the form of a climate change adaptation planning policy is imperative to ensure holistic adoption of AEI by smallholder farmers.