Climate Change and Variability Effects on Cocoa Output in the Western Corridor of Ghana

Climate change and variability have been impacting most agricultural activities and cocoa, a major cash crop of the Western Regions of Ghana and to the nation at large has not been spared. This study sought to analyse the effects of climate change and variability on cocoa output. The multistage sampling techniques was used to select the respondents (cocoa farmers). The first objective examined evidence of climate change and variability in the study area. The second objective primarily analysed the effect of these climatic variables (rainfall, temperature, bright sunshine duration and relative humidity) on cocoa output. Climate has changed with strong variability over the past 40 years in terms of significant changes in decade temperature, relative humidity and bright sunshine duration. A 1mm increase in extreme rainfall amount resulted in a 0.24MT/ha decrease in cocoa output whilst a unit change in technology resulted in a 0.86 MT/ha increase in cocoa output from the regression results. It is recommended that COCOBOD, MoFA and NGOs should design improved technology such as cocoa seeds/seedlings that can withstand extreme climatic events as well as boost yields, since extreme rainfall and technology (previous years’ yield) significantly affected cocoa output. Keywords: climate change, variability, cocoa, output, Ghana DOI: 10.7176/JEES/10-9-10 Publication date:September 30th 202