Dry Season Gardening as Climate Action by Rural Women: A Case Study of Kuliyaa Community in Northern Ghana

Droughts and shorter rainy seasons negatively impact rural livelihoods, and rural communities in Northern Ghana have long used dry season gardening education as a climate change adaptation strategy. In response to climate changes, men from the community have begun seasonal migrations to other parts of Ghana in search of jobs.

In this patriarchal community, gardening used to be largely a male practice: men typically owned gardens while the role of women and children was largely limited to domestic chores, such as preparing food, selling garden produce, bringing fencing materials, and guarding vegetables against destruction by animals. However, with the men now gone during the dry season, the women have started engaging in dry-season gardening themselves.

This case study explores the intersection of three important lenses: climate solutions developed by the global south, rural communities, and gender.