TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... i 

Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... ii 

List of Figures ........................................................................................................................... vi 

List of Tables ............................................................................................................................. vi 

List of Photos ........................................................................................................................... vii 

List of Appendices ................................................................................................................... vii 

Abbreviations and Acronyms .................................................................................................. viii 

Chapter 1

1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 

1.2 Proposition, Research Objective and Research Questions ............................................... 2 

1.3 Empirical Presentation of Study Area .............................................................................. 3 

1.3.1 Location and Size ...................................................................................................... 5 

1.3.2 Climate and Vegetation ............................................................................................. 6 

1.3.3 Economy .................................................................................................................... 6 

1.4 Smallholder agricultural Production in Ghana and in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality ..... 7 

1.5 The Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy II (GPRS II 2006-2009). ........................ 10 

1.5.1 Private Sector Competitiveness ............................................................................... 11 

1.6 Method in Brief .............................................................................................................. 13 

1.6.1 Research Strategy .................................................................................................... 13 

1.6.2 Research Design ...................................................................................................... 13 

1.6.3 Data Analysis .......................................................................................................... 14 

Chapter 2

LITERATURE REVIEW and THEOTETICAL FRAMEWORK ......................................... 17 

2.1 Literature Review ........................................................................................................... 17 

2.1.1 Role of Agriculture in Sustainable Development ................................................... 17 

2.1.2 Is the Pursuit of Agricultural Productivity the Ultimate Panacea for Rural Development? ................................................................................................................... 21 

2.1.3 The GPRS II on Smallholder Agricultural Productivity ......................................... 24 

2.1.4 Climate Change Adaptation in the Smallholder Agricultural Sector ...................... 27 

2.2. Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................. 28 

2.2.1 A Framework for Policy-Livelihood Relationships ................................................ 28

 2.2.2 Assets ............................................................................................................................... 29

2.2.3 Transforming Structures and Processes ........................................................................... 30 

2.2.4 Livelihood Outcomes ....................................................................................................... 30 

2.2.5 Livelihood Strategies ........................................................................................................ 30 

2.2.6 Vulnerability Context ....................................................................................................... 31 

2.2.7 Conceptual Framework of Sustainable Livelihoods Dynamics .............................. 31 

2.3  Operationalisation of Key Concepts .............................................................................. 34 

Chapter 3

3.1 Research Design and Method ......................................................................................... 37 

3.1.1 Data and Sample ...................................................................................................... 38 

3.2 Qualitative Method ......................................................................................................... 40 

3.3 Quantitative Method ....................................................................................................... 41 

3.3.1 Methods of Quantitative Analysis ........................................................................... 41

 3.4 Ethical Issues .................................................................................................................. 46 

3.5 Limitations of the Study ................................................................................................. 48 

Chapter 4

PRESENTATION OF EMPIRICAL FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS ................................ 51 

PART 1: Agricultural Development Policy – Monitoring MOFA’s Compliance to the Action Plan .............................................................................................................................. 52 

4.1 The National Level and Local Level Crop Development Policy of the GPRS II .......... 53 

4.2 Alignment with Stakeholder Concerns .......................................................................... 61 

PART 2: Interaction through Participation – Beneficiaries’ Level of Policy Awareness........65 

4.3 Beneficiary Farmers: Active Participants in Agricultural Productivity and Development of their own Livelihoods? .................................................................................................... 65 

4.3.1 Farmers Participation: The Demand Side ................................................................ 66 

4.3.2 Roles of MOFA: The Supply Side of Participation ................................................ 71 

4.4 Implications of Demand and Supply of Participation in Municipal Level Decision Making for Agricultural Productivity: Farmers’ Empowerment? ........................................ 75 

PART 3: LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC WORKING CONDITIONS FOR SMALLHOLDER FARMERS ......................................................... 78 

4.5 Local Environmental Conditions ................................................................................... 78 

4.5.1 Local Knowledge and Perceptions on Climate Change .......................................... 80 

4.6 Local Socio-Economic Working Conditions ................................................................. 84 

4.6.1 Labour ..................................................................................................................... 86 

4.6.2 Capital ..................................................................................................................... 87 

4.6.3 Credit ....................................................................................................................... 90 

4.6.4 Land ......................................................................................................................... 93 

4.6.5 Production levels – Including Crop Yields and Producer Prices of Crops ............. 95 

4.7 Livelihood Adaptation Assessment ................................................................................ 96 

4.7.1 Local Adaptation to Climate Variability ............................................................ 97 

4.7.2 Local Adaptation to Adversely Changing Socio-Economic Work Conditions ..... 100 

PART 4: Monitoring Overall Impact: Productive Capital Assets of Smallholder Farmers ................................................................................................................................................ 102 

4.8 Livelihood Asset Status Tracking Assessment ............................................................ 102 

4.8.1 Natural Capital ...................................................................................................... 103 

4.8.2 Financial Capital ................................................................................................... 105 

4.8.3 Physical Capital ..................................................................................................... 107 

4.8.4 Human Capital ....................................................................................................... 109 

4.8.5 Social Capital ........................................................................................................ 111 

4.8.6 Aggregated Assessment ........................................................................................ 114

 4.9 Links between Farmers’ Capital Asset Development and Livelihood Resilience ....... 120 

Chapter 5

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............ 123 

5.1 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 123 

8.2 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 130

Bibliography ......................................................................................................................... 133

 Appendices ............................................................................................................................ 139