Exploring the Gender-Specific Adaptive Responses to Climate Variability: Application of Grazing Game in the Semi-Arid Region of Ghana †
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Area
2.2. Conceptual Model of the Role-Playing Game (Grazing Game)
2.3. Specifications of the Ghana RPG (Grazing Game)
2.3.1. Vegetation and Rainfall
2.3.2. Grazing Rules
2.3.3. Reproduction and Sale
2.3.4. Regrowth of Vegetation
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- There is no vegetation growth on a patch if no vegetation remained after every round of the game played;
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- Patches of land with 1 unit of vegetation at the end of the round grew slowly and took time to recover. The value of available grass under this circumstance was depreciated by half or 50%. For example, 1 is equivalent to 0 markers or unit, 2 and 3 are equal to 1 marker, 4 and 5 are equal to 2 markers, and 6 is equal to 3 markers. These units grass markers were determined by throwing the dice;
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- Vegetation changed from grass to bush if 6 units of vegetation already existed on a land patch and if the next throw of the dice recorded another 6.
2.3.5. Players
2.3.6. Session, Steps and Reflection of the Game
2.3.7. Game Scenarios
2.4. Data Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Overall Gender-Specific Response
3.2. Coping Strategies and the Nature of the Game
3.3. Observed Gender-Specific Behaviour and Perception
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions and Policy Implications
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Strategies of Best Performers during Low Rainfall by Both Gender Group |
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Cattle are fed on half ration |
The dice are thrown before a decision is taken to sell a cow |
Cattle are only sold in the dry season when there is shortage of feed |
Fertilizer is purchased to ameliorate soil fertility |
Herds are usually divided and sent to feed on different patches |
Cooperation among players to maintain a limited number of cattle |
Coping Strategy | Men (%) | Women (%) |
---|---|---|
Off-farm jobs | 8 | 20 |
Application of inorganic fertilizer to degraded land | 3 | 3 |
Migration | 15 | 4 |
Cultivate early maturing crops | 20 | 17 |
Renovate irrigation canals | 4 | 8 |
Ask for government support | 10 | 11 |
Sell cattle | 30 | 22 |
Move close to fallow and forest areas | 2 | 3 |
Cultivate more trees | 5 | 6 |
Move close to dam | 3 | 6 |
TOTAL | 100 | 100 |
Observed Behaviour | Situation | Strategies | |
---|---|---|---|
Men | Women | ||
Competition | Insufficient grass | Clearing of entire patches to prevent the new household from grazing animals | Making fence to keep some portion of rangeland |
Leadership | Insufficient grass | Grazing pattern determined by more experience farmers. | Grazing pattern determined by experience farmers |
Cooperation | Limited rainfall | Agreement to plough land for each other using bulls. | Strong agreement to sell cattle by all players |
Ecological awareness | Wet seasons | Abundance of guinea fowl signifies more available grass. Land fallow to ameliorate soil. | More guinea fowl is an indicator for fresh grass. Regrowth of vegetation to ameliorate soil fertility. Application of organic residue to improve soil. |
Ego and reputation | Pressure from colleagues | Older farmers exhibited strong dominance. Desert creation is considered bad luck by male players. | Older farmers had more influence. |
Forms of Learning [31] | Case: Grazing Game | Some Examples |
---|---|---|
Instrumental: Does the game promote knowledge and skill acquisition among farmers and game facilitators? | The game helped the famers to gain knowledge and skills for good farm management practices. This was evaluated through observation of on-going discussion among players as the game progressed. The outcome is the decision to sell livestock in times of feed (grass) scarcity | Upland and lowland patches represented on the game board reflect a real-life situation in the study area |
Communicative: Does the game promote exchange of ideas through communication | Game promotes exchange of information and ideas on best farming practices. | Male and female players together with game facilitators share ideas on team work and how to solicit external support from government |
Transformative: Acquisition of new skills based on reflection. Single loop: New knowledge based on personal actions and reflection. Adopt new ideas to enhance productivity. | New ideas to improve existing farming practices | Both male and female players agree to sell some number of cattle during the dry season where there is scarcity of feed. |
Double loop: Reflecting on the assumptions behind certain actions | Review of policies and farming practices to enhance farming practices and systems. | Use of improved crop varieties (early maturing millet and maize) |
Triple loop: Advance learning based on assumptions and specific actions capable of improving some values and norms. | This calls for integrated landscape planning |
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Mensah, M.; Villamor, G.B.; Fosu-Mensah, B.Y.; Vlek, P.L.G. Exploring the Gender-Specific Adaptive Responses to Climate Variability: Application of Grazing Game in the Semi-Arid Region of Ghana. Agriculture 2021, 11, 1048. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11111048
Mensah M, Villamor GB, Fosu-Mensah BY, Vlek PLG. Exploring the Gender-Specific Adaptive Responses to Climate Variability: Application of Grazing Game in the Semi-Arid Region of Ghana. Agriculture. 2021; 11(11):1048. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11111048
Chicago/Turabian StyleMensah, Michael, Grace B. Villamor, Benedicta Y. Fosu-Mensah, and Paul L. G. Vlek. 2021. "Exploring the Gender-Specific Adaptive Responses to Climate Variability: Application of Grazing Game in the Semi-Arid Region of Ghana" Agriculture 11, no. 11: 1048. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11111048