STAKHOLDER PERCEPTIONS ON THE PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES OF PRACTISING CLIMATE – SMART AGROFORESTRY IN ASUNAFO NORTH MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY, GHANA

This study assessed stakeholders’ perception on the prospects and challenges of practising Climate–Smart Agroforestry in the Asunafo North Municipal Assembly in the Ahafo Region in Ghana. Interviewer administered questionnaires were used to collect cross-sectional data from 250 cocoa, food and cash crop farmers drawn from four (4) communities using simple random sampling. And nine (9) in-depth interviews were also conducted to elicit key stakeholder perspectives. Stakeholders also held the view that Climate-Smart Agroforestry encourages the use of stress-tolerant crop varieties, increase income, improve soil productivity, diversify farm produce, urges the reduction of input supply and recommends the timely usage of the inputs, ensures better market system for farm produce, cost of production decreases during the practice of Agroforestry, agro-ecological functions and Climate-Smart Agroforestry can best help adapt to the threats of climate change in the agriculture sector. The challenges included insecure tree ownership right, fast-declining soil fertility and long maturity period of Agroforestry trees, land tenure issues, illegal tree logging (chainsaw operators) on farms, lack of practical understanding of the approach, inadequate knowledge and information and inadequate supportive facilities in the study area. The study recommends further studies on the existing forest policy and legislations and its implications on the practice and adoption of Climate-Smart Agroforestry in respond to climate change in the area.


INTRODUCTION
Agroforestry system is an approach for climate change adaptation and mitigation, and very well embraced by ecologist and stakeholders in the cocoa industry due to its ability to increase cocoa yield while protecting the quality of the environment. Understanding the technique in practice will be geared towards gathering enough information to educate farming and policymakers to support the adaptations and formulate policies that support the development of the concept. On the prospects of CSAF, FAO (2014a) indicated that, CSA is geared towards increasing productivity while reducing the cost of production through efficient use of inputs and other resources to accomplish agriculture development by reducing the 'yield gap'. The 'yield gap' can decrease through the CSA approach by boosting the agroecosystems, improving efficacy of the soil, improving soil water management, quality livestock feed supply, reduce and efficiency inputs with higher returns to smallholder farmers geared towards poverty alleviation and increasing food security while reducing or removing agricultural GHGs in the atmosphere (FAO, 2014a). The agriculture production system of CSA needs to be increasingly sustainable with higher productivity of the soil and in case of crop yield (with high output-input ratio), must also reduce unnecessary use of external agricultural inputs such as inorganic fertilizers, use of agroecological process such as nutrient cycle and reduce practices that have adverse effects on the environmental and the ecological functions of the natural resources (Pretty et al., 2011). Cocoa Agroforestry has no negative impacts on cocoa productivity, this also enhance the adaptation and mitigation of climate change and being very beneficial to biodiversity conservation in Ghana (Blaser et al., 2018). Williams et al., (2015) explained the below as some of the opportunities in the methods of CSA in the SSA; CSA is the most effective poverty alleviation tool in Africa, sustainable increasing agricultural productivity through intensification in the SSA through agriculture adoption of best practices, water, soil and natural resources conservation geared towards intensification and climate change adaptation, CSA also serves as forest recovery base farming through Agriculture with prospects to the smallholder farmers not only through increasing the productivity but it also prevents the depletion of the natural resources, nontimber forest products and services functions, but the forest resources serve as sinks to the emitted GHGs and provides essential ecosystem functions. CSA offers alternative means of increasing productivity without the cultivation into new forest areas for purposes of increasing productivity and restores the ecosystem function through tree cropping on farmland (Williams et al., 2015). Moreover, Harvey et al., (2014) stated in the presence all the excellent prospects in the practices of CSAF, there are still factors that challenge the adoption of this approach that addresses the three climate-Smart goals. Williams et al., (2015) and Partey et al., (2018) indicated the below as significant challenges in the development of CSA approach; limited investment at all levels and high initial cost of investment in Africa, inadequate knowledge and understanding of the climate-smart agriculture approach, lack of data and an appropriate tools for analysis at both local and national front many African countries do not have long-term and landscape-level data and countries where some level of data exist, the data are in dispersed and not easily accessible, lack of a well-coordinated and supportive policy frameworks, existing policy framework and strategies prepared without the considerations of the need or demands for CSA and these policies may be incompatible CSA approach, lack of institutional arrangement for coordination and integration of CSA plans, farmer socioeconomic challenges at the farm level, lack supportive mechanism for women and youth, challenge of trade-offs between farmer and policymakers and lack of adequate financing mechanism to support the practice of CSA in the SSA. Some other challenges faced by the smallholder cocoa farmers which led to declining cocoa yield are due to variety of reasons including poor tree and soil management, pest and diseases, ageing tree stocks of cocoa, inadequate training and support and the underinvestment in maintenance, and the threat of climate change compounds this problem declining productivity in the cocoa sector by shrinking the area suitable for the cultivation (Läderach et al., 2011). The cultivation of cocoa is faced with several constraints such as losses due pests and disease, ageing cocoa farms and trees, limited yield potential of planting material and increasing temperature effects from climate change (Lahive et al., 2019). Sub-Sahara Africa is expected to suffer reduced agricultural productivity, increased water insecurity increased exposure to coastal flooding and extreme climatic events, and increased risks to human health. Africa is vulnerable to several climate-sensitive diseases and malnutrition for adults and children (Boko et al., 2007;Harrus and Baneth, 2005;Guernier et al., 2004). Agroforestry practices encountered constraints in Sub-Sahara Africa, which included land tenure issues, lack of social capital and improved germplasm and accession of recommended Agroforestry species (Partey et al., 2017). Williams et al., (2015) argued that in order to enhance the prospects of the CSA in the SSA, there is the need to promote the formulation and development of a supportive policy framework to create an enabling environment and the strengthening of the recommended bodies such as research institutions and the extension services to give smallholder alternative to select and adapt to the practices of Climate -Smart in their local perspective.
Stakeholders must know the benefits and cost from each of the agriculture systems or practices through demonstration and analysis when pursuing CSA goals. The stakeholders' role in promoting the practice of CSAF through shaping farmers' knowledge, building the capacities and provision of services to farmers. According Braimoh et al. (2016) identified six stakeholder groups at the centre of CSA adoption and development whose activities are closely linked together namely Producers, Policymakers and institutions, Extension workers, Consumers, Civil society, and the Private sectors. Partey et al. (2018), for CSA approach to be integrated into the mainstream agricultural policies and rural development plans, the policymakers would need a better understanding of the context-specificity of CSA towards win-win situation. Nyasimi et al., (2017) in a similar study in East Africa identifies

Government institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations and Community Based
Organization working in Agriculture sector are influential in the adoption of CSA when collaborating to disseminate information. Williams et al. (2015) makes the case that, the prevailing customary institution such as the traditional council affects farmers' accessibility to land and water resources; therefore, the traditional institution has a critical role geared towards promoting a secured agriculture system, water resources and land rights in SSA. Harvey et al., (2014) emphasized that, policy and institutional barriers, multiple policies and institutional barriers impede the integration, adaptation and mitigation goals within agricultural landscapes, systems that support conventional agriculture (with high use of fossil fuel and synthetic inputs) often prevail over those that support sustainable and climate-smart practices (Mattison and Norris 2005). In addition, development policy planning often is short term (typically in 5-10-year cycles), whereas the integration, adaptation and mitigation goals require longer-term planning horizons (Biesbroek et al., 2009).

The study area
The Municipality forms part of the new Ahafo Region with Goaso as the regional capital of the new Region (see Figure 1). The municipality is between latitudes 6 0 48′ N and 7 0 00′ and

Research design
This research employed cross-sectional studies. Explorative and descriptive design from qualitative research was employed in this study. Qualitative approaches are used to give understanding to social realities just as is practised, experienced and explained by the respondents' themselves. Primary data was collected through cross-sectional survey research design among individual stakeholders in the Asunafo North Municipal. This study explores perceptions, knowledge, believes and culture dynamics, farming practices and experiences of stakeholders, the use of cross-sectional was more appropriate. Triangulation was used by merging the qualitative approaches and the quantitative approaches to collect data through indepth interview of key stakeholders to make sure the findings are reliable over time, and to improve the accuracy of the outcomes of the study.

Units of analysis and observation
The study involves individuals from the stakeholder groups in the practice of CSAF in the

Sampling Strategy
The four major cocoa-producing communities, which were synonymous to the four  (Table 1).

Sampling technique and size
The study population comprised farmers in the four study communities. Farmers were grouped into three categories/strata namely; cocoa, food crop and cash crop farmers. A list of eligible farmers was generated from farmer data provided by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Cocoa health and extension division in the Asunafo North Municipality (Table 1). From the list, the total number of eligible farmers was estimated at 42, 656. The sampling formula by Kothari (2004) was used in the determination of the sample size for this study as shows below: Where, n is the sample size, z is confidence level ( = 0.05), p was the proportion of the population of interest, farmers in the study area. Variable q was the weighting variable and it was calculated as (1p) and E was a suitable error (level of precision). p was 0.5 since statistically, a proportion of 0.5 result is adequate and dependable size predominantly when the population proportion is not known with certainty. This led to q of 0.5 (1-0.5). Kothari (2004) suggests an error of less than 10% is usually suitable. Hence, an error of 0.05 was used to estimate a sample size of 250 respondents, representing 0.59 % of the total eligible population for the purpose of this study. However, this exceeded the recommended sample size range of 80 -120 respondents for socio-economic research works in Sub-Sahara African (Matata et al., 2001). Simple proportion was used to distribute the number of farmers needed per community. Thereafter, simple random sampling was used to select the number of farmers estimated for each community (Table 2).

Survey
The survey is the most common quantitative data collection method that allows obtaining information about a given phenomenon, through questionnaires that reflect the opinions, perceptions, and behaviour of a group of persons (Almeida et al., 2017). This research administered semi-structured questionnaires which was the primary tool for data collection.
The instrument was used to collect data on respondents ranging from their demographic characteristics, household information, farmers knowledge and practices of CSAF, factors that hinder the exercise of CSAF among others. Although all the questions in the semistructured questionnaires are set in the English language, the local language Twi was used as a communication medium during the data collection.

Stakeholder in-depth interview
The criterion-based, purposive sampling technique was employed for the choice of crucial stakeholder in the cocoa-producing communities; this was geared towards obtaining firsthand information from these institutional heads/stakeholders in the Asunafo North Municipality on the prospects of Climate -Smart Agroforestry (Table 3.4). Braimoh et al. (2016) identified six stakeholder groups at the center of CSA development and assessment, namely Producers, Policymakers and institutions, Extension workers, Consumers, Civil society, and the Private sectors. Data from critical key stakeholders was collected using structured and semistructured to assess their perceptions on the prospects of practising Climate-Smart Agroforestry.

Data collection
The data was collected using a mixed-methods, which involves qualitative and quantitative methods. The data collection instruments included structured and semi-structured questionnaires. The structured and semi-structured questionnaires method of data collection is designed to get and compare responses from all respondents in the research work (Almeida et al., 2017). Interviewer-administered questionnaire was employed to collect quantitative and qualitative data among farmers who are the respondents of this research. Qualitative data was collected using interviewer administered questionnaires to farmers, and the other critical stakeholders' perception of the prospects and challenges of practising CSAF in the cocoaproducing communities, among others were obtained through self-administered semi- Agroforestry. A total of three weeks (21 days) were used for collection of the primary data including in-depth stakeholder interviews. In-depth interview (self-Administered) and Interviewer Administered Questionnaires were used to collect data type (selected) including respondents perception on the diversification of the farm produce, market security, cost of production, reduce input usage, efficient input usage, Agro-ecological functions of Agroforestry, soil and water improvement, shade and significance of AF to improvement of fertility.

Data analysis and interpretations
The raw data collected for the study using the questionnaires were processed, analysed and interpreted using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS v. 21) software into descriptive statistics to generate frequency distribution tables, cross-tabulation and graphs to give a pictorial understanding of presentations of data. This study employed predetermined themes using Microsoft Excel to group qualitative data into themes to answer research questions.
Descriptive analysis, thematic and stakeholder analysis were adopted as the data analysis tools to give in-depth understanding of the data collected and analysed to answer the question.

Ethical considerations
The research started with a reconnaissance survey to the study communities during which the

Producers and consumers perception on the prospects of CSAF
The prospects of Climate-Smart Agroforestry was explored among farmers who are producers and consumers. This finding may help us to understand the perceptions of farmers on CSAF as intervention for climate change in the Agriculture sector. The result of the field study shows, 238 (95.2%) respondents mentioned that agroforestry best helps adapt to the impacts of climate change and 12 (4.8%) respondents stated that Agroforestry does not help to adapt to the impacts of climate changes (Figure 6.1). This finding is similar to Ashley (2015) that, the practice of Agroforestry system is frequently geared towards adaptation and mitigation of climate change. To clarify, Toppo and Raj (2018) asserted that the tree component of agroforestry has the potential to mitigate the effects of climate change such as drought, flood, prevents deforestation and restore soil quality. Therefore, it increases agriculture food production and provides alternative source of nutrition and income.  The study evaluated the prospects of Climate -Smart Agriculture on the cost of production during the practice of Agroforestry. Table 6.1 presents the result of the field study, 58 (23.2%) respondents mentioned that the cost of production increased during the practice of Agroforestry, 32 (12.8%) respondents indicated that the cost of production remained the same during the practice of Agroforestry, 22 (8.8%) respondents were not sure of the cost of production during the practices of Agroforestry and 138 (55.2%) respondents mentioned that the cost of production decreased during the practice of Agroforestry. It can, therefore, be assumed that cost of production decreases during the practice of Agroforestry. Similarly, Kiptot and Franzel (2011) argued that Agroforestry technology is an operatively cost lessening agriculture approach that improves soil fertility and increases crop yield.
Nevertheless, the FAO (2014) urges that Climate-Smart Agriculture is geared towards increasing productivity while reducing the cost of production through efficient use of inputs and other resources to accomplish agriculture development by lowering the 'yield gap'.

Policymakers and traditional institution perceptions on the prospects of CSAF
According to Partey et al. (2018), for CSA approach to be integrated into the mainstream agricultural policies and rural development plans, the policymakers would need a better understanding of the context-specificity of CSA towards win-win situation. Nyasimi et al. (2017) in a similar study in East Africa identifies Government institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations and Community Based Organization working in Agriculture sector are influential in the adoption of CSA when collaborating to disseminate information.
The various stakeholders mentioned their institutional role in promoting Agroforestry as Climate-Smart Agroforestry; the Municipal Chief Executive liaises with the Forestry Commission to apprehend and prosecute illegal loggers, and implements policies from the central government geared towards the sustainability of the farming system (Table 6.2) and also encouraged farmers to practice Climate-Smart Agroforestry; the Presiding Member of the Municipal assembly facilitates access to farm inputs for farmers and other technical assistance from institutions such as MoFA; and the Abusuapanin (the head of the royal family) of the Goase traditional Council promotes Agroforestry through the leasing of lands for practising Agroforestry, encourages other landowners to do same to ensure environmental sustainability. The traditional council also addresses disputes resulting from land tenures systems between farmers and landowners (Table 6.2). Williams et al. (2015) make a similar case that, the prevailing customary institution such as the traditional council affects farmers' accessibility to land and water resources; therefore, the traditional institution has a critical role geared towards promoting a secured agriculture system, water resources and land rights in SSA. The Municipal Chief Executive, Presiding Members and the Abusuapanin (Goaso traditional council) were interviewed to explore the prospects of Climate-Smart Agroforestry in the area policy and traditional institution which are mandated to making and implementing policies or bye-laws in the Asunafo North Municipality. The majority of the stakeholders reveal that, the practice of Agroforestry has positive relations to the farmer's socioeconomic development, this result is consistent with Nair (1993), with benefits such as agroecological functions, soil water improvement and the soil nutrient management as similarly indicated by Schaller et al. (2017) which are significant to the farmland geared towards increasing the productivity and income of the farmer, and CS Agroforestry intensifies diversification of farm products to manage risk and enhance the resilience of the farming system which also corroborates with Mbow et al. (2014).
The Municipal Chief Executive indicated that, agroforestry has the potential to ensure sustainability in the farming system through production of timber, these findings are consistent with Schaller et al. (2017) while preventing desertification. However, the concept is challenged with the activities of illegal loggers and inadequate knowledge. However, Hauswirth et al. (2012) suggested that institutions should provide appropriate technical, administrative and other support to an integrated process to develop and manage the process.
The male Municipal Chief Executive with two (2)  ''The law should address ownership tree issues with appropriate enforcement body to prosecute illegal loggers and guarantee farmers' right to own the tree on their farms, this will encourage farmers to practice CSAF.''

Extension workers perceptions on the prospects of CSAF
According to Williams et al. (2015), the extension services will provide smallholder alternative to select and adapt to the practices of Climate-Smart Agroforestry from their local perspective. In the context of this study, stakeholders in the extension services interviewed  (Nair, 1993), through its potential to conserve soil water, serves as windbreak, providing shade for crops, diversifies the farm produces to reduce crop failure as indicated by Mbow et al. (2014), enhance agro-ecological functions to boost soil fertility for increasing productivity and income while sequestrating carbon. This finding corroborates with Schaller et al. (2017). As regards to risk management, most of the stakeholders indicated that Climate-Smart Agroforestry manages farm risk by promoting best practices, a finding similar to Nyasimi et al. (2014). The majority of the stakeholders were of the view that Agroforestry urge reduces inputs usage while enhancing efficiency of farm inputs usage that increases income of the farmer through diversifying the farm produce. This finding agrees with Pretty et al. (2011) that, Agroforestry must reduce unnecessary use of external agricultural inputs such as inorganic fertilisers and the use of agroecological process such as nutrient cycle, which will reduce the adverse effects on the environment while boosting the ecological functions of the natural resources.
The Agricultural Extension Officer at the MoFA indicated CS Agroforestry is the best farming alternative to addressing deforestation by fighting desertification to ensure efficient management of natural resources for sustainable development as claimed by Mbow et al. (2014). The land tenure system is the main factor that does not promote the practice of Climate-Smart Agroforestry since landowners do not allow the cultivation of trees on the lands they rent out to farmers because the long maturity period of the Agroforestry system, this finding corroborates with Rioux (2012). A female Agricultural Extension Officer at MoFA with five (5) years experience in the ANM indicated (2019);

''Climate-Smart Agroforestry is the best alternative to fighting desertification''
The District Extension Coordinator at Cocoa health and extension division of COCOBOD shows that Climate-Smart Agroforestry protects the forest resource and enhance the resilience of the crops to the increasing effects of extreme events due to climate change. The District coordinator did claim that farmers feel insecure about the growing activities of illegal loggers and the lack of incentives during the practising of Climate-Smart Agroforestry (Table  6.2). This finding corroborates with Rioux (2012) who claims that land tenure systems, lack of incentives and ownerships issues are significant constraints to the practice of Agroforestry.
A male District Extension Coordinator of the cocoa health and extension division with seven (7)  Agroforestry is beneficiary to the environment by improving soil water management and reduce input usage through its agro-ecological functions to improve soil nutrient, this finding (Table 6.2) was also established by Pretty et al. (2011). In the context of contributing to increasing productivity, increasing income and building the resilience of the farming system, the acting president claimed that, Climate-Smart Agroforestry reduces inputs supply and urge the efficient use of inputs and has the potentials to increase crop yield due to its soil nutrient improvement capacity and diversifies the farm produce to reduce crop failure as similarly indicated by Schaller et al., (2017) that, Agroforestry reduces the risk of production failure through diversifying farm products and income sources of the farmers. The acting vice president assessed that the lack of knowledge on the practice CSAF is due to inadequate education from the extension service and lack of credit support for farmers is affecting the adoption of CS Agroforestry that has the potentials to address the challenges born by climate change. A male Acting vice president of the Akrodie Farmers' Association with five (5) years' experience in Akrodie in the ANM indicated (2019);

''The forestry commission should embark on a very high campaign to encourage and support farmers with inputs such as seedlings.''
The private sector provides different services towards the promotion of Climate -Smart Agriculture approach, the Samlen Commercial Agency is engaged in consulting and selling of environmentally friendly agrochemicals and other inputs to farmers to enhance and promote Agroforestry practice. Likewise, Gbetibouo (2009) suggested that adaptation measures require capital investment such as agrochemicals and other inputs. The branch manager of Samlen commercial agency indicated that CSAF is beneficial to the environment through its agroecological functions to increase soil nutrient and improve soil water management to increase income generation while alleviating environmental degradation (Table 6.2). Again, Kiptot and Franzel (2011) affirm that Agroforestry prevents environmental degradation. The stakeholder indicated that Agroforestry contributes to the income of the farmers (Kiptot and Franzel, 2011), while reducing the shocks in the farming system exposed by the growing effects of climate change through the efficient extension services and use of farm inputs to increase crop yield and diversify farm inputs to ensure market security to farm produces. The branch manager also indicated that Agroforestry provides highly diversified products such as raw materials to the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industry yet challenged by land tenure issues and activities of the illegal loggers in the Municipality, which make farmers reluctant to practice Climate-Smart Agroforestry. To enhance the interest of farmers on the practice of Agroforestry, the forestry commission and other law enforcement agencies should apprehend and prosecute illegal loggers to safe guide farmers and their farms (Table 6.2). A male branch manager of the Samlen commercial agency with five (5)

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter presents an overview of the study including summary of findings in section 4.1, conclusion of the study in section 4.2, whereas section 4.3 presents the recommendations of the survey among key stakeholders on the prospects of CSAF in the Asunafo North Municipal in Ghana.

Summary of findings
The summary of the conclusion of the research objectives includes; stakeholders' perception on the prospects including challenges of practising Climate-Smart Agroforestry in the Asunafo North Municipal Assembly in the Ahafo Region in Ghana. The majority of the respondents indicated the use of Agroforestry as Climate -Smart Agriculture Technology could best help adapt to the threatening effects of climate change in the agriculture sector; most are willing to practice Agroforestry due to its agro-ecological benefits and the ability of trees to serve as windbreak on farmlands. Most mentioned that Climate-Smart Agroforestry ensures a better market system to farm produce. The majority indicated cost of production decreases during the practice of Agroforestry and the majority revealed that, the practice of Agroforestry has positive relation to the farmer's socioeconomic development with benefits such as agroecological functions, soil water improvement and the soil nutrient management which are significant to the farmland geared towards enhancing the production level while boosting the income of the farmer, and also CS Agroforestry intensifies diversification of farm products to manage risk and enhance resilience of the farming system

Conclusion
Agroforestry as Climate-Smart Agriculture Technology has the potential to increase productivity and income of the farmers, build resilience for the agricultural farming system and remove or reduce greenhouse gases. The study concludes that Agroforestry has the prospects to achieve the three CSA objectives to enhance food security and reduce poverty while protecting the environment. Based on the findings, the study concludes that CSAF can help best adapt to climate change due to its agroecological functions, ability to reduce production cost by lessening inputs usage on the farm, CSAF improves soil water management, enhance risk management while ensuring market security for farm produce through diversification. Further, the study concludes the practice of Agroforestry has positive relation to the farmer's socioeconomic development with benefits such as agroecological functions, soil water improvement and the soil nutrient management which are significant to the farmland geared towards enhancing the production level while boosting the income of the farmer, and CS Agroforestry intensifies diversification of farm products to manage risk and enhance resilience of the farming system.

Recommendation
There is the need for better understanding of the contribution Climate-Smart Agroforestry concept to adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change and how climate change affects the growth of crops while providing incentives to farmers for protecting the environment and enhancing the ecosystem-based of the natural resources. This will boost farmers' interest to practice Climate-Smart Agroforestry. This will also help farmers to join in the adoption and adaptation of Agroforestry. The study further recommends the need for development of methods and approaches scaling Agroforestry technologies to attain landscape-level impacts.
This will improve farmers' knowledge and understanding of the benefits of practising Agroforestry.