Understanding the Problem via Assessments
A baseline study («Impacts and Vulnerability assessment of Climate Change in the Upper East Region of Ghana: Pathways to Creating Green Solutions and Integrating Climate-Smart Interventions into development Planning and promoting climate-smart interventions for building community resilience») was carried out. It highlighted climate-related hazards such as floods, droughts, high temperature and windstorms. These hazards often contribute to crop failure, uncertainty in the cropping calendar, land degradation, food and livelihood insecurity, loss of property and life, migration, and social stress. Gender considerations also revealed that women, children, and the aged were more vulnerable to the climate variability and impacts.
Identifying and Appraising Options
The following twelve actions at no/low investments were identified: (i) ecosystem restoration through buffer zone protection; (ii) Formation of committees for sustainable management of water resources; (iii) soil and water conservation practices; (iv) developing models to predict on-set of rainy season; (v) water quality control; (vi) construction of water harvesting schemes; (vii) water harvesting for irrigation; (viii) flood water harvesting and storage; (ix) livestock rearing; (x) dry season farming; (xi) improved agricultural technologies; and (xii) improved seed variety.
GWP Contributions to Building Community Resilience
The livelihood resources needed to implement each action were ranked with respect to the actions and analysed. If resources are locally and readily available in good quantity and quality, adaptation options could be implemented easily by a community. Otherwise, the community would have to rely on external sources and may prove challenging to effectively implement the option(s). Thus, screening of the actions focused on availability of livelihood resources in communities towards maximizing the potential for economic, social, and environmental gains. Based on the perceived viability of the livelihood resources, options were ranked from the most to least easily applicable as follows: (1) water harvesting and irrigation; (2) watershed committee formation and/or activation for sustainable water management; (3) dry seasoning farming; (4) improved agricultural technologies, including improved seed varieties; and (5) soil and water conservation.
GWP provided funds for the field demonstrations project. This included cost of consultancies, training of implementing partners, and undertaking implementation activities in the communities. The project also benefited from in kind contributions from state actors such as use of conference rooms for meetings and includes the District Department of Agriculture, Bawku, and White Volta Basin Secretariat, Bolgatanga. GWP formulated the Terms of Reference to engage consultants for all studies conducted. Also, the WACDEP Project Management Unit offered technical and logistical support to the consultants recruited for both the baseline and socio-economic and environmental analysis studies. In the field, GWP facilitated joint planning with implementing partners to formalise their engagement with WRC.
GWP played an instrumental role in establishing engagement platforms to facilitate dialogue across stakeholder institutions. The formation of the 9-member committees allowed for consultations in managing the project at community level. The periodic joint meetings of technical structures implementing the activities enhanced understanding of project objectives and learning across communities. GWP also assisted in recruiting and mentoring a young water professional to develop his career in water security and climate resilient development. GWP communication was also guided by stakeholder mapping to ensure that key institutions were engaged in the implementation process, allowing unambiguous discourse and interaction.