Leaf and fruit characteristics of Shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) in Northern Ghana

Leaf and fruit parameters of Vitellaria paradoxa populations in north-south gradientof the shea belt in the transitional and Guinea Savanna zones of Ghana were comparedduring the fruiting season between April to July, 2011. Leafmorphological traits studied include laminar width, petiole and laminar lengths. Fruitparameters measured include fruit and kernel widths, lengths, weights and pulp weight.Results showed variability for most of the characters determined. The leaves in Paga hadshorter petioles as compared to those of Nyankpala and Kawampe. The Nyankpala V. paradoxa has the smallest laminar width whilst Kawampe has longest leaf laminar ascompared to the rest. Values for fruit and kernel parameters were highest for samples fromPaga, followed by Kawampe and were significantly higher than those from Nyankpala.There were significant positive relationships between fresh fruit weight and both freshkernel weight (P < 0.001; R2 = 0.6925) and dry kernel weight (P < 0.001; R2 = 0.6532) for datapooled from all the three locations, however, the slopes and intercepts varied betweenlocations (P < 0.001). The result from the study provides opportunities and prospects forselection and breeding for V. paradoxa tree improvement in Ghana

Descriptive epidemiology of anaemia among pregnant women initiating antenatal care in rural Northern Ghana

Anaemia in pregnancy is associated with adverse obstetric outcomes. When detected early in pregnancy, it can be treated; however, information on its prevalence and associated factors is limited in rural Ghana.; The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and maternal factors associated with anaemia in pregnancy at first antenatal care (ANC) visits.; The study was conducted in the Navrongo War Memorial Hospital, a secondary referral facility in the Kassena-Nankana district in rural northern Ghana.; A retrospective analysis of antenatal clinic records of pregnant women collected from January to December 2014. All pregnant women initiating antenatal clinic, who had initial haemoglobin (Hb) levels measured, were included in the study. Logistic regression analyses were carried out to determine factors associated with anaemia at the initiation of ANC.; We analysed data from 506 women with median Hb of 11.1 g/dL (IQR 7.31-13.8). The median gestational age at booking was 14 weeks (5-36 weeks). The prevalence of anaemia was 42.7%, with 95% confidence interval (CI) [38.4-47.1], and was high among teenage mothers (52% [34.9-67.8]), mothers who booked in the third trimester (55% [33.6-74.7]) and grand multiparous women (58% [30.7-81.6]). Factors associated with anaemia included grand multiparity (odds ratio [OR] = 1.94 with 95% CI [1.58-2.46]), booking during the third trimester (OR = 2.06 [1.78-2.21]) and mother who were underweight compared to those with normal weight (OR = 3.17 [1.19-8.32]).; Burden of anaemia in pregnancy is still high in rural northern Ghana. We advocate further strengthening of the primary health care system to improve early access to ANC delivery

Indigenous knowledge on 'siella' and its role in the farming systems of northern Ghana

An informal survey covering 32 villages in the Northern, Upper East, and Upper West Regions and involving over 250 men, women, and children was conducted to ascertain the indigenous knowledge on 'siella', a soil type licked by domestic animals and wild life. Samples of the soil were collected in several locations and analyzed for available macro- and micro-mineral content. The soil was found to be alkaline. Sodium and potassium content was 10-15 times higher than that in ordinary soils of the zone. Variation in mineral content was high across locations ranging from 0.0 to 6.83 mg/kg for phosphorus, and 64.97 to 7,485.5 mg/kg for calcium. The soils were found to be totally devoid of phosphorus in locations within the Upper West, and micro-mineral concentration was low in all locations. The soil is well known in the northern part of Ghana and is believed to play a vital role in the health and productivity of animals. Cows on 'siella' give birth to heavier calves and milk better. The soil has curative properties and stops diarrhoea. It is also believed to give good health and strength to aged humans. Ghana Jnl.agric. Sci Vol.32(1), 1999: 59-6

Integrated modeling of hydrological processes and groundwater recharge based on land use land cover, and climate changes: a systematic review

Groundwater is the main available freshwater resource and therefore its use, management and sustainability are closely related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, Land Use Land Cover (LULC) and climate change are among the factors impacting groundwater recharge. The use of land-use and climate data in conjunction with hydrological models are valuable tools for assessing these impacts on river basins. This systematic review aimed at assessing the integrated modeling approach for evaluating hydrological processes and groundwater recharge based on LULC and climate change. The analysis is based on 200 peer-reviewed articles indexed in Scopus, and the Web of Science. Continuous research and the development of context-specific groundwater recharge models are essential to increase the long-term viability of water resources in any basin. The long-term impacts of natural and anthropogenic drivers on river basin interactions require integrating knowledge and modeling capabilities across biophysical responses, environmental problems, policies, economics, social, and data

Modeling current and future groundwater demands in the White Volta River Basin of Ghana under climate change and socio-economic scenarios

Study region: White Volta River Basin, Ghana. Study focus: Groundwater sustainability is becoming a major concern in the face of population growth, land use land cover (LULC), and climate changes. The Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) model is used in this study to analyse the current and future groundwater demands for the period of 2015–2070. Two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP 8.5) scenarios from statistically downscaled fifteen CMIP5 models were combined three Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs 2,3 and 5) scenarios in the nine sub-catchments of the White Volta River Basin. New hydrological insights for the study region: The WEAP model was calibrated (2006–2012) and validated (2013–2020) using streamflow data from six gauges in five sub-catchments. The findings show that climatic change and socio-economic development will result in a disparity between groundwater supply and demand in sub-catchments with greater socioeconomic growth, especially those with higher population density and arable agricultural land. Among the basin’s nine sub-catchments, four will experience water scarcity under all future scenarios. While the groundwater flow and recharge data may be evaluated using several physical hydrological models, the calibration and validation results suggest that the current modeling approach is capable of reliably predicting future groundwater demand with associated uncertainties. The study establishes a link between climate change, socio-economic growth, and groundwater availability in the White Volta River Basin