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Paper short abstract

This study investigates the determinants of weather index-based insurance adoption among crop farmers in Ghana. It identifies key factors such as climate perceptions, climate shocks and perceived risk influencing farmers' willingness to participate in insurance programs.

Paper long abstract

In Sub-Saharan Africa, agricultural insurance is crucial for mitigating the climatic risks faced by farmers, yet adoption rates remain low in Ghana. This research investigates the influence of Ghanaian farmers’ perceptions of climate change and their direct experiences with climate shocks on their willingness to purchase weather index-based insurance (WII), utilising the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory as an analytical framework. Drawing on survey data from 337 farmers across key agroecological zones, the research employs a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach to examine how underlying value orientations, climate change beliefs, and perceived personal norms shape insurance adoption behaviour. The findings reveal that climate perceptions has an insignificant relationship with farmers' willingness to purchase WII. However, farmers' experience with climate shocks has a positive and significant relationship with their willingness to purchase WII. Again, perceived risk plays a significant mediating role between climate shocks and WII. This mediating effect demonstrates that risk perception is a critical psychological mechanism through which climate change experiences and beliefs are internalised into insurance purchase decisions. These insights underscore the importance of integrating value-driven communication and trust-building strategies into insurance outreach programs. The paper concludes by recommending policy interventions that align insurance products with farmers’ values and beliefs, thereby fostering greater uptake of WII as a climate resilience strategy in Ghana’s agricultural sector.

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This study adopts qualitative approach, drawing on stakeholder interviews to critically analyze the resilience potential of urban agriculture (UA), adaptation strategies of urban growers, and the extent to which UA has been integrated into national policies as a resilience strategy.

Paper long abstract

The world is urbanizing rapidly with attendant consequences continuously threatening development progress, particularly in the developing world. Weak planning and management tools position many African cities at the mercy of adverse climatic impacts intertwined with heightened poverty and inequalities. Amid all this, however, people continue to find hope and adapt to the complex changing dynamics in urban environments. The current polycrisis demands effective, yet less expensive strategies with strong potential to build resilience, especially among the poor. Urban agriculture (UA) has emerged as a potent strategy capable of building climate and economic resilience, particularly among the poor and marginalized groups. However, little is known about the resilience potential of UA in African cities. It is also not clear how urban growers adapt to the increasing pressures associated with rapid urbanization. Additionally, we do not understand the extent to which UA is championed in strategic national policies as a resilience strategy. These are pertinent questions that need to be interrogated. This paper aims to contribute empirical evidence to address these questions using Accra, Ghana, as a case study. The study will adopt qualitative approach, drawing on stakeholder interviews to critically analyze the resilience potential of UA, adaptation strategies of urban growers, and the extent to which UA has been integrated into national policies as a resilience strategy. Understanding these issues holds significant promise in developing tailored and evidence-based solutions to address current challenges characterizing African cities. The analysis will provide a framework that can be adapted to other African countries.

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Arguably, this scholarly initiative seeks to augment the capabilities of local assemblies to achieve the SDGs and support Ghana's sustainable development path through a cooperative and resource-efficient methodology.

Paper long abstract

Promulgated by the United Nations in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a global blueprint to eradicate extreme poverty, safeguard the environment, and enhance global peace and prosperity by 2030. Although these objectives are comprehensive, they require regional execution strategies that consider particular challenges and contextual driving elements. This paper aims to model the implementation of sustainable development by exploring the barriers and Drivers with a focus on the Manya and Yilo Municipalities in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The paper would be anchored on quantitative research approach and positivists' research paradigm to investigate the factors facilitating and obstructing local initiatives aimed at implementing the SDGs. Primary data would be gathered through structured questionnaire instrument. Relative Importance Index would be the main quantitative instrument to be used to rank the drivers and the barriers with the aid of SPSS version 25. It is expected that factors such as financial resources, awareness campaigns, institutional support and technological knowhow would drive SDG implementations at the locality while inadequate finance, weak institutional support, inadequate technical knowhow and weak public education would serve as significant barriers. The paper examines these processes to provide a comprehensive understanding of how local assemblies might enhance stakeholder engagement, institutional capacity, and resource distribution for sustainable development. The findings will contribute to the growing discourse on localised SDGs implementation by presenting evidence from the Ghanaian setting. Policymakers can utilise the study's recommendations as a framework to formulate and implement strategic initiatives that enhance facilitators and eliminate barriers.

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Insights into South Sudan’s unique resilience strategies; How local knowledge, empowered communities, and innovation transform intersecting crises into sustainable solutions, showcasing resilience amidst environmental, economic, and political challenges.

Paper long abstract

When war flattened Agok, in South Sudan, everything was lost – homes, offices, and hope. Families fled, and NGOs scrambled to salvage what they could. The crisis should have paralysed services for months, but one local NGO proved otherwise. Within a single week, they rebuilt their operations in Abyei, resuming cash transfers and work programs that sustained vulnerable families.

This was no miracle. It was the power of local knowledge, preparation, and autonomy. Empowered to act independently of cumbersome aid bureaucracies, the NGO demonstrated how community-driven leadership can defy expectations. Their readiness, rooted in trust and investment in local capacity, enabled them to adapt swiftly, restoring lifelines to those in need.

This story is a vivid example of Africa’s resilience in the face of compounding crises. It underscores how local organizations, equipped with the right resources and autonomy, can transform chaos into opportunity. In an era of “polycrisis,” where environmental degradation, economic instability, and conflict intertwine, this experience offers a blueprint for rapid, sustainable responses that prioritize human dignity.

The NGO’s recovery illustrates the intersection of tradition and innovation, as local networks mobilized to rebuild not just structures but trust and social cohesion. This paper highlights why global aid systems must shift from control to empowerment, recognizing that solutions rooted in local contexts are not only faster but more sustainable. It is a call to action for embracing Africa’s distinct strengths in navigating today’s interconnected challenges.

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Paper short abstract

Africa's polycrisis demands innovative, integrated strategies drawing on resilience theory, indigenous knowledge systems and cross-sectoral collaboration. Systemic solutions to the challenges, require adaptive governance, regional and global partnerships, and commitment to inclusive, development.

Paper long abstract

Africa faces a "polycrisis" characterized by the convergence of environmental degradation, economic instability, and political challenges, creating a complex web of interrelated problems. This paper explores systemic strategies African nations and regional bodies are employing to address these crises collectively, highlighting the importance of systemic approaches and cross-sectoral collaboration, for addressing these interconnected crises. Using resilience theory and indigenous knowledge systems as conceptual lenses, the paper evaluates case studies, including the Great Green Wall initiative, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and governance reforms, and the potential and challenges of current initiatives. The analysis underscores the necessity of holistic, adaptive, and inclusive frameworks for sustainable development. The analysis underscores the necessity of holistic, adaptive, and inclusive frameworks for sustainable development.

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Exploring transdisciplinary approaches to pandemic and epidemic resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa, this research examines how community knowledge and social science contribute to crisis management, offering insights for global responses to intersecting challenges.

Paper long abstract

This research explores the evolution of transdisciplinary approaches in epidemic and pandemic preparedness and response in Sub-Saharan Africa from 2012 to 2023. Drawing on a decade of research, I examine how social science contributions and community knowledge have been integrated into existing preparedness and response architectures, focusing on three case studies: neglected zoonoses (2012-2014), the West Africa Ebola outbreak (2014-2016), and the COVID-19 pandemic (2019-2023).

The research investigates the intersection of power, knowledge, and crisis, emphasising multi-actor, community co-production that integrates disciplinary and non-academic knowledge. By analysing the politics of knowledge and power dynamics in research and policy implementation, this work advances our understanding of transdisciplinary approaches that recognise the complex socio-cultural contexts of outbreaks.

A new project in Sierra Leone will be presented, focusing on how transdisciplinarity has been integrated across existing pandemic/epidemic preparedness and response architectures. This research examines innovative community actions to lower disease spread and the critical role of local, integrated responses where robust health systems are lacking.

By highlighting these grassroots initiatives that blend traditional practices with modern approaches, including digital innovation, to crisis management, this research offers insights into how Africa's experience can inform broader global responses to intersecting crises. It reinforces that sustainable development in a polycrisis era requires not only adaptation but also innovation grounded in the unique strengths of affected communities.