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Climate Change, Health and Productivity of Farmers in West African Economies: An Overview
Authors: Jacob Owusu Sarfo, Edward Wilson Ansah, Mathias Mawuli Ametefe, Michael Dari, Josephene Edum-Fotwe, Paul Obeng, Harriet Odoley Charway, Francis Appiah Adu-Amankwah
Number of views: 47
Climate change negatively impacts the environment, human, animal, and aquatic life. Notwithstanding the growing evidence of the influence of climate change on occupational health and safety in developed countries, few reviews have been conducted on its effects on farmers’ health and productivity within the West African sub-region. This paper shows that climate change negatively affects West African farmers’ physical and mental health. Extreme heat withered crops and prevented them from germinating, while heavy rainfall submerged and destroyed fields. Additionally, this review noted the lack of commitment and political will by governments in West Africa to fight climate change issues. We recommend that governments and other stakeholders in the sub-region support local farmers to implement climate change adaptation measures fully. Furthermore, researchers should work with government agencies, civil society organisations, and farmers to develop sustainable and resilient early warning systems to provide the necessary information and forecasts to help mitigate the harmful effects of climate change on workers and productivity.