This study provides an analysis of environmental observations by farmers, as well as of models of blame in Northern Ghana, an agricultural region of high vulnerability to climate change. Qualitative data were collected through a standardised questionnaire on the community’s consensus on how to explain observed changes. Responses were transcribed to allow content analysis. Natural data sets confirmed most local observations, but older age and the affectedness of the respondents were crucial in determining the views. Climate change was generally given a lower priority by the respondents compared to other manifestations of change, such as infrastructural development, human-spiritual relations and changes in social relations. Moreover, the respondents made reference to the blessing of the land and the destruction of the land. The destruction of the land was understood in a metaphorical way as the result of eroding social relationships and stagnation, as well as norm-breaking and lack of unity within the community. Thus, climate change was perceived in local social terms rather than based on global natural science knowledge. The article concludes that the anthropological analysis is meaningful and may serve as an entry point for further planning of adaptation and public education.

This chapter supports the argument that social science research should focus on adaptation to climate change as a social and political process, by analyzing the politics and interest of actors in climate change adaptation arenas and by acknowledging the active role of those people who are expected to adapt. Most conventional climate research depoliticizes vulnerability and adaptation by removing dominant global economic and policy conditions from the discussion. Social science disciplines, if given appropriate wight in multidisciplinary projects, contribute important analyses by relying on established concepts from political science, human geography, and social anthropology. This chapter explains relevant disciplinary concepts (climate change adaptation arenas, governance, politics, perception, metal models, culture, weather discourses, risk, blame, traveling ideas) and relates them to each other to facilitate the use of a common terminology and conceptual framework for research in a developmental context.

This dataset is the seventh of a series of datasets addressing farmers' adaptation to climate change in West-Africa, specifically in Dano, Burkina Faso and Dassari, Benin. This data was obtained by interviews with 118 people from communities in Dano. It provides information on the household level in regard to biophisical and socio-economic data for agroforestry systems.

This dataset is the seventh of a series of datasets addressing farmers' adaptation to climate change in West-Africa, specifically in Dano, Burkina Faso and Dassari, Benin. This data was obtained by interviews with 137 people from 17 communities in Dassari. It provides information on the household level in regard to biophysical and socio-economic data for agroforestry systems.

This dataset is the fourth of a series of datasets addressing farmers' adaptation to climate change in West-Africa, specifically in Dano, Burkina Faso and Dassari, Benin. This Data was obtained by interviews with 137 people from 17 communities,in Dassari. It provides information on the household level in regard to the aspects; challenges and behavioral change.

This dataset is the second of a series of datasets addressing farmers' adaptation to climate change in West-Africa, specifically in Dano, Burkina Faso and Dassari, Benin. This Data was obtained by interviews with 137 people from 17 communities,in Dassari. It provides information on the household level in regard to the aspects; farming practices, cropping system, productivity, livestock, and consumption.

This dataset is the third of a series of datasets addressing farmers' adaptation to climate change in West-Africa, specifically in Dano, Burkina Faso and Dassari, Benin. This Data was obtained by interviews with 137 people from 17 communities,in Dassari. It provides information on the household level in regard to the aspects; changes in climate, hazards, and drivers of climate change.

This dataset is the fourth of a series of datasets addressing farmers' adaptation to climate change in West-Africa, specifically in Dano, Burkina Faso and Dassari, Benin. This data was obtained by interviews with 121 people from 13 communities in Dano. It provides information on the household level in regard to the aspects; challenges and behavioral change.

This dataset is the third of a series of datasets addressing farmers' adaptation to climate change in West-Africa, specifically in Dano, Burkina Faso and Dassari, Benin. This data was obtained by interviews with 121 people from 13 communities in Dano. It provides information on the household level in regard to the aspects; changes in climate, hazards, and drivers of climate change.

This dataset is the second of a series of datasets addressing farmers' adaptation to climate change in West-Africa, specifically in Dano, Burkina Faso and Dassari, Benin. This data was obtained by interviews with 121 people from 13 communities in Dano. It provides information on the household level in regard to the aspects: farming practices, cropping system, productivity, livestock, and consumption.