Impacts of climate hazards on coastal livelihoods in Ghana: the case of Ningo-Prampram in the Greater Accra region

Global climate has undergone unprecedented changes due to several natural- and human-induced factors. The present study sought to assess the impacts of climate hazards on coastal livelihoods, specifically in Ningo-Prampram district in the Greater Accra region, Ghana. The research uses participatory rural appraisal (PRA) and the analytic hierarchical process (AHP) tools to ascertain the major climatic and non-climatic events, along with their impacts. Findings revealed coastal inundation and submersion were the major stressors that triggered dysfunctions of residents’ livelihoods. Impacts from these stressors constituted decline in household income, collapse of buildings along the beach, and saltwater intrusion rendering farmlands unproductive causing reduced crop yield. Cabbage and chilli farms that are no longer arable have been sold to estate developers. Sea level rise has resulted in the submersion of coastal lands (1 km–2 km land residual inland). Residents undertake temporal evacuations with financial assistance from local financial institutions. Minor interventions like the growing of mangroves and coconut trees have been initiated to somewhat serve as defence mechanisms. However, residents have continuously harvested these plants along the coast with no plans for afforestation, re-afforestation and other sea defence mechanisms. This leaves the area highly vulnerable, hence, the present study attempted to bridge this paucity of knowledge to inform the decision of relevant stakeholders in prioritizing climate-related issues that affect livelihoods in the area.