Using qualitative research methods to understand how climate variability impacts the livelihoods of fishermen in coastal Ghana

Abstract

Though climate variability research has largely focused on natural science and quantitative measures, there has been a notable shift towards using social science, including qualitative methods, to understand the impact of climate variability on coastal livelihoods. While these methods have been widely used in many coastal regions, their application in coastal Ghana remains limited. This study used qualitative methods to examine fishermen’s knowledge of climate variability and oceanic impacts on their livelihood opportunities on the central and eastern coasts of Ghana. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data from 5,250 fishermen and 15 in-depth interviews were conducted with fishing group leaders. The results indicate that, while fishermen are aware of climate variability and oceanic impacts, their knowledge of city and urbanisation processes and their effects as urban climate drivers is limited. They perceived a decrease in the total annual fish catch over the last two decades as a result of overfishing and the practise of light fishing, along with climate variability. Several obstacles hinder the fishermen's activities, including high prices and shortages of premix fuel and saiko (trade in fish at sea between industrial trawlers and Ghanaian canoes). They are dissatisfied with their prevailing livelihood opportunities due to a lack of viable alternative options. The study revealed coastal livelihood initiatives to improve livelihood conditions, sustain fishermen’s activities, and improve their general well-being. There is a need for a policy initiative that prioritises providing practical training and support for fishermen to participate in additional livelihood activities such as agriculture (crops, livestock, and poultry), small business, occasional wage labour, and handicrafts. Additionally, it is important to implement a strategy that ensures an uninterrupted and direct channel of communication and distribution for premix fuel between the fishermen and the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development. Thus, qualitative methods continue to be a beneficial technique for achieving coastal livelihood goals in the face of climate variability.