The study was conducted in the Wenchi Municipality in the forest/savannah transitional agro-ecological zone of Ghana to analyse the dual role of cashew production as a tool for adaptation and greenhouse gas mitigation in the face of climate change and variability. The study used primary data to collect data from 400 randomly selected cashew farmers from 9 farming communities in the Municipality through the administration of questionnaire. Key informant interview with the help of semi-structured interview guide was also held drawing 6 participants from the study area. Cashew production data from the Department of Agriculture in the municipality beefed up the analysis.
It was observed in the study that the major source of income to the respondents was cashew production (57.0%) followed by maize (25.5%). The most affected crops by the changing climate were maize (52.3%), yam (15.0%) groundnut (13.5%) and vegetables (10.8%), where the least affected crop was cashew (2.3%). It was realized that the major source of livelihood was cashew cultivation (56%) hence it was not out of place for the respondents themselves to enforce by-laws on bush fire during the harmattan seasons (winter). The presence of cashew farming in the study area had resulted in enhancement in mitigation strategies such as reduction in tillage, preservation of ecosystem, reduced ‘slash and burn’ method of farming and so on. Again, the rampant seasonal bush fire in the area during dry season (winter) of which peasant farmers used to prepare their lands or unscrupulous people hid behind for hunting according to the respondents had seen a decline.
adaptation, mitigation, greenhouse, sink, sequestration, anthropogenic.