Indigenous Knowledge and Adoption of Backyard Farming among Rurban Households in Northern Ghana: Implications for Food Security and Livelihood Resilience

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examined indigenous knowledge and the adoption of backyard farming (BYF) among rurban households in Bunkpurugu, in the Northeast Region of Ghana. The study was guided by the sustainable livelihood framework, socio-ecological systems theory, and a social constructivist paradigm. The study explored local knowledge systems underpinning backyard farming and assessed the extent of adoption across households. This study uses a household survey with 107 household respondents assisted by 10 key informant interviewers selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and field observations and analyzed using thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. The study findings revealed that backyard farming is an integral part of the communities’ lives and has been a common practice for generations. About 89% of the households have backyard spaces, which are actively used for crop cultivation and livestock production. The respondents possessed excellent indigenous knowledge on planting seasons, climate adaptation, soil fertility management, and crop–livestock integration. Backyard farming was thought to be a possible solution to the problem of food insecurity and to enhance household nutrition, environmental quality, and livelihood resilience. Adoption levels were strikingly high (88.8%) and similar across gender, age, and education groups, suggesting that backyard farming is a socially inclusive and culturally embedded adaptation strategy. But there was little institutional support for backyard farming, which was popular and known to exist. The findings suggest that backyard farming is a traditional community-based system and not an additional farming activity, which plays a significant role in food supply, climate change adaptation, environmental health, and household stability. This approach can further increase its positive impact on sustainable living in the peri-urban areas of Northern Ghana by creating local support networks, open communication among farmers, and grassroots agriculture programs.