Climate change, migration and farmer–herder conflict in Ghana

Abstract

Climate change, migration, and conflict have been featured prominently in academic and policy literature. While Africa remains the major reference point, studies on key conflict hotspots fail to adequately examine empirical demonstrations of how climate change forces migration, and consequently major conflicts. Drawing on semi‐structured interviews, focus group discussions, and employing the scarcity theory in a study of Agogo (Ghana), we illustrate how regional and local climate/environmental variability and scarcity trigger and sustain migration and farmer–herder conflicts. The findings offer insights into how other non‐climatic and ecological conditions reinforce the so‐called climate‐induced conflicts, exposing the limitations of the scarcity‐theory. Importantly, this study has provided an illustrative argument centered around the contextual dynamics of the nexus between climate change and farmer–herder conflict in Agogo to contribute to national, regional, and continental discussion on this critical topic.

Population Structure and Genomic Characterisation of the Ashanti Dwarf Pig of Ghana

“…The largest ecological zone is the Guinea Savanna, and it lies in the northern part of the country. The Guinea Savanna zone is characterised by a wooded grassland, which consists of a ground cover of grasses at varying heights [ 13 , 14 ]. It has only one rainfall season (which starts in late April or early May, rises in August to September, and declines in October to November), records an annual rainfall of 1100 mm/year, and has a 27.5 °C annual temperature.…”

Assemblage thinking and actor–network theory: Reconciling the perspectives of environmental security and political ecology for improving the understanding of farmer–herder conflicts in Africa

“…Recent studies on the FHCs using the ES theory extend beyond the correlation between environmental and climate-change-related conflicts, to account for political, social and economic elements. Issifu, Darko and Paalo (2022) argue that other issues, such as national boundaries and regulation modifications, interact with different ES factors, such as ecological conditions, population growth and climate change, complicating the conflicts in Agogo, Ghana. Olumba (2024) explains that the shifts 'in the political opportunity structure' that gave the Fulani herders an advantage, which they then used to seek retribution from the Tiv farming communities, complicates the eco-violence in the Middle Belt of Nigeria.…”

“…The PE approach often incorporates political economy, as seen in the analyses of FHCs (e.g., Bassett 1988; Benjaminsen and Ba 2021; Mbih 2020; Nwankwo 2023). The political economy approach to determine the cause of the conflicts related to resources can be linked to the ‘greed’ hypothesis, wherein actors instigate, partake in or contribute to continuing a conflict because of economic interests (Hoeffler 2011; Issifu, Darko and Paalo 2022; Wennmann 2019). This situation weakens political institutions, producing criminal networks and conduits across scales through which natural resources are looted and sold across local and international markets (Issifu, Darko and Paalo 2022).…”

‘I lost over 700 tubers of yam but am glad I am still alive’: Implications of victimhood and displacement on conflict management – Insights from displaced farmers in North Central Nigeria

“…Several studies highlight the role of climate change in exacerbating herder–farmer conflicts. The changing climate patterns, including increased aridity, and reduced access to water and pasture, have intensified competition for scarce resources between herders and farmers (Issifu et al, 2022; Madu and Nwankwo, 2021). As climate-induced environmental challenges escalate, herders and farmers engage in conflicts over land, water, and grazing rights (Benjaminsen et al, 2009).…”