Adaptation and Farm Income: Insights from the Savanna Region of Togo

Abstract

Aims: The Savanes region of Togo is characterized by frequent droughts and floods which adversely affect farming, the primary source of livelihood for majority of households in the region. Given the rapidly changing climate, these adverse shocks are expected to become more pervasive. This situation seriously threatens the structural transformation of agriculture in the region. Adaptation adoption is therefore important for farm households to be able to withstand any future climatic shock.  However, it is doubtful whether farmers are able to identify practices and measures that constitute the appropriate response to climate as such adjustments are beyond their range of experience. Consequently, the aim of this study is to understand how adaptation strategies used by farm households in the Savanes region of Togo shape the impact of climate change on agricultural income. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the University of Kara in Togo between April and September 2015. Methodology: We estimate an Endogenous switching Regression (ESR) model to account for the heterogeneity in the decision to adapt based on household survey data. Results: Two main results come out of this study. First adaptation enhances farm income for the farm households that adapted. Second the decision not to adapt is rational for famers who did not adapt since they would have been 13.24 percent worse off in terms of farm income if they were to adapt. The policy message drawn from this study encourages adaptation policies which build on indigenous knowledge since farm household that did not adapt may be using some indigenous practices not recognized as adaptation strategies.