Is migration an adaptation strategy to climate-related environmental events in the forest-savanna transition zone of Ghana?

This paper examines the extent to which migration has been used as an adaptation strategy in response to climatic-related events in the forest-savannah transition zone of Ghana. Using a mix method approach with data from the Climate Change Collective Learning and Observatory Network Ghana (CCLONG) project, the paper employed a descriptive method approach to examine how migration has been used as a livelihood strategy in response to climate-related environmental events. The results indicate previous experience of drought and floods did not trigger out-migration from the study communities. However, the gradual decline in the fertility of the soil coupled with the erratic rainfall is pushing families to opt for something different from farming as their main source of livelihood by encouraging the youth to migrate to cities for alternative jobs. The study concludes that sudden environmental events like flooding may not necessarily trigger out-migration but slow changes such as desertification and decline in soil fertility could lead to mass migration if people reach a point where their coping strategies are not able to help them cope with the situation.