Climate variability and agricultural productivity: A time-series regression analysis of cassava, yam, and maize yields in Wenchi, Ghana
Jacob Kwakye 1 * , Naomi Kumi 2 , Nana Agyemang Prempeh 2 , Caleb Mensah 2
More Detail
1 School of Social Work, McGill University, CANADA2 Department of Atmospheric and Climate Science, University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), GHANA* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This study examined the impacts of climate variability and cultivated land area on the yields of cassava, yam, and maize in Wenchi Municipality, Ghana, from 2000 to 2021. Using a quantitative approach, the study employed time-series data on rainfall, minimum and maximum temperatures, crop yields, and cultivated area. Multiple linear regression models with logarithmic transformations were used to assess the influence of climate variables and cultivated area on crop yields. Diagnostic tests confirmed the validity of model assumptions. The regression results revealed that temperature variables, especially minimum temperature, had a significant positive effect on all three crop yields. Maximum temperature also showed positive effects, although with varying levels of significance. Rainfall and cultivated area had no statistically significant impact on yields. The models explained 46.87%, 51.28%, and 61.57% of the variations in cassava, yam, and maize yields, respectively. Temperature played a more critical role than rainfall or cultivated land in influencing crop yields in Wenchi over the study period. These findings underscore the need for temperature-focused adaptation strategies and climate-smart agriculture to enhance food security and resilience in the transitional zones of Ghana.

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EUR J SUSTAIN DEV RES, Volume 9, Issue 4, 2025, Article No: em0322

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejosdr/16625

Publication date: 01 Oct 2025

Online publication date: 18 Jul 2025

Article Views: 353

Article Downloads: 116

Open Access References How to cite this article