Emerging Technologies for Building Resilience to Climate Change Effect: A Case Study in Dangbe East District of the Republic of Ghana

The conversion of the kinetic energy in wind into electrical energy offers unique solution to the overall energy supply where resource exists as well as partial solution to the world’s over dependence on exhaustible primary energy sources such as fossil fuel and their consequences which include climate change, extinction of aquatic life during spillages and so on. The coastlines of Ghana present significant wind potential which when properly harnessed could provide alternative livelihood opportunities and speed up climate change adaptation processes in those communities hard-hit by climate change effects. To establish the technical and economic potential of wind resource for energy production and productive application, there is the need to investigate the baseline frameworks and use optimized wind energy tools to generate results for effective wind energy planning. Ground wind data search and analysis, overall energy situation and energy policy environment formed the core of establishing the technical potentials and economic opportunities of wind energy in the Dangbe East District. A wind data analysis was done to establish the wind energy potential and a survey identifies innovative mechanisms adopted for building resilience and tracks changes in behavioural practices to adapt to climate change effect. A total of 360 small-scale farmers were interviewed. Phenomenal changes in weather conditions and climate events observed by respondents include erratic and unpredictable rainfall patterns with poor distributions, high temperatures with hot sunshine conditions, drought and heavy precipitations/floods. Key innovative technologies employed to adapt to climate change effects include soil management practices that reduce fertilizer use and increase crop diversification; promotion of legumes in crop rotations; use of quality seeds and integrated crop/livestock systems; avoidance of bush burning as well as burning crop residues; introduction of drought, flood and saline-tolerant crops and using improved, high yielding and drought resistant varieties. Less than 30% of the farmers interviewed had relocated close to water bodies (River Volta), especially for minor season farming while 42% had diversified into other alternative livelihood options. Farmers strongly considered provision of irrigation services by government and non-governmental organisation, credit and availability of improved agro-technologies as well as education key in building resilience to climate change effects. Emerging Technologies for Building Resilience to Climate Change Effect: A Case Study in Dangbe East District of the Republic of Ghana | 5 Acknowledgement This paper was produced as part of the implementation of the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) Phase VI Strategic Plan, 2008 – 2012 funded by ATPS Donors including the Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken (DGIS) the Netherlands, Rockefeller Foundation, amongst others. The authors hereby thank the ATPS for the financial and technical support during the implementation of the program. The Authors particularly thank the ATPS Climate Sense Program Director, Dr. Kevin Urama (ATPS); and the Program Coordinators including Prof. Francis Mutua (ATPS Kenya); Dr. George Owusu Essegbey (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Ghana), Prof. Eric Eboh (ATPS Nigeria), Dr. Nicholas Ozor (ATPS), and Ms. Wairimu Mwangi (ATPS) for their technical support during the research process. Contributions from staff of Energy Commission, Ministry of Energy, MoEn, SWERA, and Dangbe East District Agriculture Development Unit of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture are very much appreciated. 4 | Emerging Technologies for Building Resilience to Climate Change Effect: A Case Study in Dangbe East District of the Republic of Ghana