Abstract:
Desertification is one of the serious environmental problems that pose a threat to the
food security of people in the affected areas of the world. It is said to be consuming the
Sahel-Sudan savannah transitional zone of the Upper East Region of Ghana at an
alarming rate, thereby undermining livelihood support systems as well as threatening
the food security of the area. This study sought to examine the impact of desertification
on food security among female-headed households and their coping strategies in the
Garu and Tempane districts in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The specific objectives
were: to explore the awareness of desertification among female-headed households in
the Garu and Tempane districts, to investigate the dimensions of food security (physical
availability, access, utilisation, and stability) among female-headed households in the
Garu and Tempane districts, to examine the effects of desertification on food security
among female-headed households in the Garu and Tempane districts and to explore
female-headed households’ coping mechanisms with food insecurity. The study was
guided by qualitative research. It was established based on the findings that
desertification in the Garu and Tempane districts of Ghana contributes to making
female-headed households’ food insecure. This conclusion is borne out of the fact that
food insecurity among female-headed households is high. It is therefore recommended
that there should be policies and programmes rolling out for FHHs in the districts to
train them on integrated soil fertility improvement practices, and the government
flagship programme Planting for Food and Jobs as well as the fertiliser subsidy should
intentionally target the FHHs at the community level.
Description:
A Thesis in the Department of Geography Education,
Faculty of Social Sciences, submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Geography Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba