The Crumbling Backbone of the Savannah Woman: Adjusting to the Declining Shea and Locust Tree Densities in Northern Ghana

Rural women in Northern Ghana depend largely on indigenous forest resources, particularly Shea and locust bean trees as a major source of livelihood support. The fruits of these trees, are so essential to rural livelihoods that their collection and processing, are subjects of intense competition among rural women. Recent studies, however suggest a significant degradation of agroforestry parklands, and the population densities of Shea and locust bean trees. Using a case study approach, and employing participatory tools such as focus group discussions, interviews and structured observations, the study sought to unpack the experiences of rural women on the decline in these tree species, and examine how this new reality affects their major livelihood assets. The study found that, the decline in Shea and locust bean trees, affects the social, human and economic capital of rural women. Exploitation of other environmental resources, the use of improved Shea processing methods, and vegetable farming, were identified as major adaptation strategies among rural women. The study also found evidence of deep-seated historical and socio-economic factors militating against the successful adaptation of rural women. Consequently, the study highlighted the need for micro credit accessibility programmes, and gendered land tenure arrangements to support rural women in Agriculture. Keywords: Agroforestry parklands, Shea trees, Locust trees, Livelihoods, Rural women, Response mechanisms. DOI: 10.7176/JCSD/54-05 Publication date: December 31st 201

Rhetorically decentralised, practically recentralised: a review of the local governance system of Ghana

There is currently a global quest to decentralise government functions, which has resonated well with many developing countries. Ghana has over the last few decades embraced decentralisation in principle, as a way of promoting inclusive, efficient, accountable and bottom-up local-level governance. However, it is unclear how successfully this vision is being achieved.  Using a heuristic continuum as an analytical framework, this study conducted a literature- and statute-based politico-administrative review of the local governance system of Ghana to ascertain the extent of decentralisation. The study concludes that the legislative, political and administrative arrangements in place make it easy for the centre to usurp the powers of local authorities.&#x0D; KeywordsGhana, decentralisation, recentralisation, politico-administrative</jats:p

Sen’s Capability Approach

Poverty is a vexed concept almost lacking a solution. While several approaches exist to measure poverty in diverse situations, there is no universal consensus on what constitutes poverty and how it should be measured. To one group basic needs approach to poverty measurement is the most appropriate; to another, income measures are the most accurate and to some others the capability approach hold better prospects. To accurately assess poverty, however, it is important to ensure that the approach being adopted is in sync with the outcomes of the poverty intervention tools being implemented. Land reforms are one of the tools used in different countries to improve the land access and use rights of the poor and hence reduce poverty. In this paper I have argued that it is only within the capability space that the environmental (climate, geographical location and changes in the quality of the land resource base) and social (public policies, social norms or power structures and relations) conversion factors that influence the ability of the poor to live meaningful lives in land reform environments can be adequately ascertained. </jats:p

Rhetorically decentralised, practically recentralised: a review of the local governance system of Ghana

There is currently a global quest to decentralise government functions, which has resonated well with many developing countries. Ghana has over the last few decades embraced decentralisation in principle, as a way of promoting inclusive, efficient, accountable and bottom-up local-level governance. However, it is unclear how successfully this vision is being achieved.  Using a heuristic continuum as an analytical framework, this study conducted a literature- and statute-based politico-administrative review of the local governance system of Ghana to ascertain the extent of decentralisation. The study concludes that the legislative, political and administrative arrangements in place make it easy for the centre to usurp the powers of local authorities. Keywords Ghana, decentralisation, recentralisation, politico-administrativ

Systems approach to pro-poor land reforms: A concept paper

There has been renewed interest in the academic discourse on land reforms due to recent high profile works suggesting a positive correlation between reforms and poverty reduction. Land is held under different tenure regimes in different regions, countries and communities. These are often in the form of community tenure, state tenure, individual tenure or a mixture of two or three of them. However, land reformers are in constant debate as to which of the three offers the most appropriate pathway to poverty reduction. The policy outcomes of such debates have been to superimpose one tenure option over the other in differing situations. This article conceptualises a metaphorical approach to land reforms grounded on general systems theory. It advocates for contextualised methodological rigour and an approach to land reforms reliant on the influencing variables of alternative land tenure regimes as opposed to wanton superimposition of one form of tenure over the other

Land reforms and poverty : the impacts of land reforms on poor land users in the Nkoranza South Municipality, Ghana

The Government of Ghana began the implementation of the Land Administration Project (LAP) in 2003 as an effort to elaborate on the broad thrusts of the National Land Policy (NLP), which was approved in January 1999. The LAP focuses on facilitating access to land, ensuring security of title to land and enhancing institutional capacity for efficient and effective land administration. A decade into the implementation of the NLP and LAP this study sought to examine the impacts of land reforms on the land access, use rights and livelihoods of poor land users. The study uses field data gathered through in-depth interviews, observations and focus group discussions from the Nkoranza South Municipality (NSM) to explore the ability of women farmers, pastoralists and migrant farmers to access, use and manage land resources under the emerging agency system‚ÄövÑvp of land governance. The study also examined the regimes governing land access and use of the commons for grazing by pastoralists. The study establishes that although communal dynamics play a role in shaping land rights changes, current changes in land rights are the result of a land reform system that exposes close-knit communal land resources to metropolitan capital investments and transnational land deals. It further indicates that land reforms, pursued as silo developmental interventions, as is the case of the NSM case study, are incapable of alleviating poverty and the multiple livelihood needs of the poor. As such, it is recommended that land reforms be pursued as part of integrated development interventions, if poverty reduction remains a relevant goal of such initiatives. Furthermore, evidence from the field data suggests that the Nkoranza cosmovision of land as exhibiting features of a gift, a commodity and a sacred object should constitute the defining variables in any attempt to create locally viable land tenure systems. This entails incorporating the customs of the local people into the land reform processes. Finally, it is pointed out that state policies over land should seek to sustain communal practices, land use dynamics and cultures by supporting land tenure stabilisation and increasing voice and accountability over land use decision making