TITLE:
Women’s Flood Preparedness Strategies: A Case Study in North Tongu District of Ghana
AUTHORS:
Benedicta Minka, Kenichi Matsui
KEYWORDS:
Flood Preparedness, Women, Susu, Rural Communities, Ghana, North Tongu
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Climate Change,
Vol.15 No.3,
September
1,
2026
ABSTRACT: Past studies and international organizations identified several factors that contribute to women’s flood preparedness practices. However, in some sub-Saharan countries, such as Ghana, little is known about women’s flood preparedness strategies in the face of climate change-induced floods. This study examines women’s flood preparedness strategies based on an integrated theoretical approach. It focuses on the North Tongu District, where a recent devastating flood incident led to wide-ranging consequences. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 120 randomly selected women from September to October 2024. The data analysis involved descriptive statistics and a probit regression analysis. The results show that the respondents had adopted several flood preparedness strategies, including cleaning/digging drains around houses (79.8%), sandbagging (63.3%), and participation in community volunteer programs (68.2%). About half had been involved in local savings through susu, a communal mutual help group (56.7%), and evacuation drill participation (51.4%). The probit regression analysis shows that age, flood experience, and perceived flood risks are significantly correlated with the respondents’ flood preparedness. Based on these findings, we elaborate on policy options that may better promote women-oriented flood-resilient programs.