Landcover Change Patterns in the Volta Gorge Area, Ghana: Interpretations from Satellite Imagery

In much of the developing world, shifting cultivation is the predominant agricultural system usually practised by farmers, which is associated with increasing the unit of land under cultivation in order to increase the output. This small-scale shifting agricultural practices based primarily on burning has been the factor responsible for the conversion of forest fringe vegetation into cropland and pasture and it initiates a continuum of changes in the land cover and consequently fragmentation of the landscape. Since the construction of the Akosombo Dam in 1965, the potential for farming and fishing has increased tremendously within the Volta gorge area and this has resulted in the influx of many settler farmers and fisher folk into the area. This brought so much pressure on the natural resource base of the area and has transformed the landscape accordingly. Within this paper we aim at the estimation of the trend in changes of the landscape using multi-temporal satellite image processing and spatial change analysis. We also seek to determine the land use / cover change in the Volta gorge area of the Volta basin of Ghana for the period 1975 to 2007. Land cover change and agricultural expansion was observed through digital processing and classification based on five multi-temporal medium resolution satellite imagery (Landsat: 1975, 1990, 2000, 2003, 2007) into five classes. From this, accurately classified pixel information was used to determine each landcover class size and the number of changed pixels into other classes through change detection. The study shows that significant changes in the landscape involved a general pattern of conversion of both Closed forest and Open forest and woodland into cropland, fallow lands, pasture, and Bare areas consisting of settlements, roads and exposed soil surfaces. For the period under consideration 1975-2007, the Agricultural class increased from 52,605 hectares in 1975 to become the land cover type with the highest proportion of cover at 221,567 hectares in 2007. The study concludes among others that the expansion of agriculture has increased in all directions with the amount of land devoted to cropland and pasture increasing for all slope categories but more especially for less steeper slopes. Keywords: Landuse/landcover, Multi-temporal, Digital processing, Change detectio

Working together to improve the quality of mathematics education and students achievements: exploring the views of Ghanaian parents

Parental involvement in their children’s education and for that matter mathematics education has become one of the main areas of research interest. The purpose of this study is to explore the attitudes of Ghanaian parent-students towards their children’s education and the factor that influence their participation. An exploratory survey approach was used in this study, and a 38 item semi-structured questionnaire was used for collecting data. A total of 130 parent-students from enrolled in diploma and degree programmes in three universities took part in the study. Similar to the findings from other similar studies, the majority of these parents acknowledged the importance of parental involvement and indicated their willingness to be involved in their children's education. It was, however, interesting to note that majority of these parents have never seen or had access to the two main mathematics resources used in their children’s schools: the mathematics syllabus and the mathematics textbook. In addition, the majority of these parents see the teacher as the custodian of knowledge and seem to rely over on them for the success of their children. It is recommended that school and teachers have to be proactive in designing Maths Clubs and other activities to get parents actively involved.Keywords: Parents; mathematics education; perception; school climate; involvemen

Assessing the Impact of a Dam on the Livelihood of Surrounding Communities: A Case Study of Vea Dam in the Upper East Region of Ghana

River basins are well known as the origin of advanced human social development and cultural heritage which ancient and modern communities have depended on for livelihood, commerce and habitat. Dam is one of the many man-made alterations to river basins that have been built for centuries and without doubt have contributed to the development of many nations. However, their social, health and environmental impacts have in too many cases not been assessed most often in developing countries. This research sought to explore and understand the Vea Dam within the context of socio-economic and health impacts on the host communities. Secondary data were collected from Irrigation Company of Upper Region and Bongo District Assembly in Ghana whilst primary data were obtained through random and stratified sampling. The results revealed that 2.6% and 66% of the respondents are employed in the fishery sector and irrigation sector, respectively. The dam necessitated the relocation of about 34% of the communities and on the average two people are drown annually in the Dam. The prevalence of water borne diseases after the construction of the Dam was also perceived by the communities to have increased. The Dam has both positive and negative socio-economic and health impacts on the surrounding communities with the benefits outweighing the negative impacts. The availability of potable drinking water in the area has created development with inevitable rise in standard of living. The study also revealed that agricultural activities, freshwater fishery and availability of water for irrigation of farmlands have improved. However, an enhancement in the beneficial impacts and minimization of the adverse impacts would help better livelihood in the communities. Keywords: Bongo District, Impacts of a dam, Livelihood, Socio-economic, Vea Da

Preface

Preface - The second International Conference on Mathematical Modeling in Physical Sciences (IC-MSQUARE) took place at Prague, Czech Republic, from Sunday 1 September to Thursday 5 September 2013

Determinants of smallholder farmers' willingness-to-pay for soyabean production inputs in northern Ghana

Open Access ArticleFarmers in northern Ghana have been cultivating soyabean with very little or no agro-inputs due to cost and limited accessibility. Use of quality agro-inputs can significantly improve the productivity of soyabean. This study assesses farmers’ current use of soyabean production agro-inputs, identifies challenges faced by smallholder farmers in soyabean cultivation and assesses factors influencing farmers’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) for soyabean inputs (determinants) in northern Ghana. Four hundred (400) smallholder soyabean farmers were sampled using a multi-stage sampling method. In stage one, the study area was stratified into three regions, northern, upper east and upper west regions. Stage two encompassed purposive sampling of eight (8) districts across the three northern regions famed for soyabean production. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire, key informant interviews and focus group discussions were conducted. Descriptive statistics were performed and a contingency valuation method (CVM) was used to assess key determinants that influence farmers’ WTP for soyabean inputs. The results show that 74 % of the respondents were willing to pay for the soyabean inputs. However, 43, 47.3, 39.5 and 49.5 % of respondents were willing to pay at the bid price of 1.06/kg, 3.98/litre, 31.91/50kg bag and USD 5.32/100g sachet for certified seeds, herbicide (glyphosate), TSP fertiliser and inoculants, respectively. Age, household size, access to credit, participation and gains made from on-farm demonstrations significantly influenced farmers’ willingness to purchase certified soyabean seeds. Factors that significantly influenced farmers’ willingness to purchase glyphosate included household size, purpose and experience in soyabean production. In the case of triple superphosphaste fertiliser (TSP), access to extension services, participation and gains from farm demonstrations and distance to the nearest agro-input shop were identified as key determinants. Farmers’ willingness to purchase inoculants markedly correlated with age, credit, participation in on-field demonstrations, membership of farmer-based organisation and experience in soyabean production. The results of this study form a basis for making a business case for agro-input companies to invest in the distribution and sale of the newly introduced soybean production inputs in northern Ghana. Development and promotion of early maturing and drought tolerant soyabean varieties by the National Agricultural Research Institutes are required to enable farmers to cope with the changing climatic conditions which pose a threat to soyabean production in northern Ghana

Decoherence on a two-dimensional quantum walk using four- and two-state particle

We study the decoherence effects originating from state flipping and depolarization for two-dimensional discrete-time quantum walks using four-state and two-state particles. By quantifying the quantum correlations between the particle and position degree of freedom and between the two spatial ($x-y$) degrees of freedom using measurement induced disturbance (MID), we show that the two schemes using a two-state particle are more robust against decoherence than the Grover walk, which uses a four-state particle. We also show that the symmetries which hold for two-state quantum walks breakdown for the Grover walk, adding to the various other advantages of using two-state particles over four-state particles.Comment: 12 pages, 16 figures, In Press, J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. (2013

Automating the Implementation of the Updated Grade Severity Rating System (GSRS) for Wyoming Mountain Passes

RS08220Truck crashes on steep downgrades caused by excessive brake heating is an ongoing concern for the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT). Crashes resulting from brake failure on downgrades cause a devastating toll on lives and property. To counter such crashes, WYDOT initiated a research project in 2016 to update a previous Grade Severity Rating System (GSRS) model originally developed in 1981. This was necessary due to the previous GSRS model being considered insufficiently representative of current truck characteristics, which have undergone significant changes over the decades. This study sought to fulfill Phase II of the GSRS study and was aimed at achieving three objectives. The first objective was to validate the GSRS model for trucks that have only drum brakes installed. The second objective was to make the updated GSRS fully implementable by incorporating horizontal curves into the formulation of the weight specific speed (WSS) signs. The final objective was to develop a software that simplifies the implementation of the GSRS and the formulation of WSS signs by generating maximum descent speeds for different weight categories as output

Climate change impact on streamflow in a tropical basin of Ghana, West Africa

Study region Pra River Basin, Ghana, West Africa. Study focus In this study, variations of the future streamflow in the Pra River Basin (PRB), are projected using the Soil and Water Analysis Tool (SWAT) model with bias-corrected climate data from regional climate models (RCMs) for the near 21 st century (2010–2039), the mid 21 st century (2040–2069), and the end of the 21 st century (2070–2099), under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). Weighting, scaling and ranking techniques were applied to the data from each of the seventeen climate stations to select the climate models that best reproduced the observation dataset. New hydrological insights for the region The results from the calibration and validation (R2 and NSE > 0.75, and PBIAS within ±10 %), revealed good simulation of the PRB hydrology from the SWAT model. Annually, streamflow in the near and the mid-21st century is projected to increase within 4 % and 12 % while a reduction was projected at the end of the 21 st century with the RCP4.5 emission scenario. The simulation results from the RCP8.5 scenario showed increase streamflow throughout the 21 st century applying the best performing models. Monthly streamflow variations varied between -15 % and 23 % for RCP4.5, and -24 % to 24 % for RCP8.5. Generally, increasing streamflow was highest in the RCP4.5 emission scenario. In view of the model outcomes, the PRB is expected to experience upsurge in streamflow by the near and the mid of the 21 st century. This would require proper planning by applying cost-effective adaptative water management strategies to provide for the probable influence of climate change on the future water resources of the basin

Health Services for Buruli Ulcer Control: Lessons from a Field Study in Ghana

Buruli ulcer (BU), caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans infection, is a debilitating disease of the skin and underlying tissue which starts as a painless nodule, oedema or plaque and could develop into painful and massive ulcers if left untreated. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, the study assessed the effectiveness of the BUPaT programme to improve early detection and management of BU in an endemic area in Ghana. The results of the study showed extensive collaboration across all levels, (national, municipality and community), which contributed to strengthening the programme. Health staff were trained to manage all BU cases. School teachers, municipal environmental staff and community surveillance volunteers were trained to give the right health messages, screen for detection of early cases and refer for medical treatment. WHO-recommended antibiotics improved treatment and cure, particularly for early lesions, and prevented recurrences. Improving access to antibiotic treatment is critical for early case management. Health education is required to emphasise the effectiveness of treatment with antibiotics to reduce deformities and the importance of seeking medical treatment for all skin lesions. Further research is needed to explain the role of environmental factors in BU contagion