Farmers Awareness and Response to Climate Change: A Case Study of the North Bank Region, The Gambia

Rain-fed agriculture, which is the backbone of most sub-Saharan economies is seriously under threat due to climate change. Consequently, for farmers to sustain their livelihoods and increase productivity, there is the need for them to be aware of climate change and how they can sustainably respond to it. This study focused on farmers’ awareness of climate change and their response to its effect in the North Bank Region of The Gambia. Data for the study was collected from 258 farmer household heads selected through a multi-stage sampling technique and 9 focus group discussions. Descriptive statistics and climate change awareness index (CCAI) were used to analyze the data obtained from the households. The findings revealed that majority (80.6%) of the farmers were aware of climate change with an average awareness index of 0.586 (58.6%). Also, an overwhelming majority of 93.41% of the farmers used crop diversifications, drought resistant cultivars, early maturing varieties among others as response strategy to climate change. The study concludes that farmers in the study area are fairly aware of climate change. Farmers are recommended to form farmer associations to enable easy access to more climate change education/ training from Donor and Government agencies to improve their climate change knowledge and enhance their adaptive capacity. Keywords: Climate change, Response, Climate change Awareness Index, The Gambi

Estimating the Extent of Degradation in the Bounfum Forest Reserve, Ghana, Using Historical Remotely Sensed Data and Landscape Fragmentation Indices

Land use and land cover changes, especially deforestation and forest degradation and its driving factors, are key factors hindering sustainable forest management. Currently, there is limited knowledge concerning the detection of the extent and interpretation of the spatial and temporal pattern of forest cover dynamics in the Bounfum Forest Reserve, which when available will inform sustainable policies. Using the Landsat TM image of 1986, Landsat ETM+ image of 2002 and Landsat 8 OLI image of 2014, the study identified and quantified the forest cover dynamics in the Bounfum Forest Reserve from 1986 to 2014. The ERDAS maximum likelihood classification algorithm was used to classify the pixels into five major land cover classes namely, bare/built areas, farmlands, closed forest, open forest and shrub/grassland. The Kappa coefficients of 0.83 (1986), 0.72 (2002) and 0.75 (2014) respectively were obtained for the classified images. The findings showed that the closed forests decreased by 3.5% (563.90 ha) per annum whilst the open forests and farm lands increased by 19.5% (385.60 ha) and 2.9% (65.00 ha) per annum within the 28-year period. This implies that the Bounfum forest reserve has been highly degraded over the past 28 years, evident through the trends of its patch densities and the number of patches. Collaborative forest management is required in the management of the forest reserve to conserve the socio-ecological and economic benefits derived from the resource on sustainable basis. Keywords: Land use and land cover change, Bounfum forest reserve, deforestation, forest degradation, remote sensing, sustainable forest managemen

Livelihood implications of artisanal gold mining in farming communities: insight from the Wa East District, Ghana

The impact of artisanal mining on livelihoods in developing countries is a contentious issue. As a contribution to this subject, the study assessed the implications of artisanal gold mining activities on smallholder agriculture in the Wa East District of Ghana. A descriptive survey design with a mixed methods research approach was used. Primary data were sourced from respondents through interviews, questionnaire administration, and field observation. Five artisanal mining communities were selected based on the intensity of mining activities in them. The study respondents consisted of 290 household heads drawn randomly from 1,050 households. Also, key informants consisting of 5 assembly members and 15 lead artisanal miners were interviewed. The study found artisanal mining to be a dominant livelihood strategy in the district, employing about 76.2% of respondents at various levels. Artisanal mining contribution to household income was higher than food crop farming. Proceeds from mining are used to finance smallholder agriculture. However, the activities of the miners have resulted in the degradation of farmlands. We argued that artisanal mining activities should be aligned with other livelihood options such as agriculture in local communities. The study called for the engagement of local miners and traditional rulers in mineral resource decision-making

Seasonal changes in pasture biomass and grazing behaviour of cattle in the Guinea Savanna agroecological zone of Ghana

Spatial and temporal availability of pasture vegetation and cattle grazing behaviour in three seasons (intermediate season [IM], peak season [PS] and dry season [DS]) in the Guinea Savanna agroecological zone of Ghana was examined. The frequency of occurrence of three species groups (grass, legume and forbs) and biomass yield was estimated in 1 m² plots. The grazing behaviour of 18 cows from six herds was monitored over three days per animal. Season affected the prevalence of species groups with grasses being most dominant in all seasons. Most grazing lands were heavily grazed in IM and DS but moderately grazed in PS. Whilst harvested rice fields represented the most frequently grazed land in DS, fallowed hard pans were used in PS and IM. Biomass yield was highest in DS owing to the contribution of crop residues from harvested farmlands. Carrying capacity was linked to biomass production and averaged 0.55 in DS, 0.38 in PR and 0.21 in IM. Animals spent less time outside the kraal in PS than IM and DS. Walking time was higher in DS than in IM and PS. Less than 20% of the time on pasture was spent on resting, watering and social interaction across seasons.Keywords: carrying capacity, grazing behaviour, rangeland, savanna, tropical livestock uni

Patterns of green space change and fragmentation in a rapidly expanding city of northern Ghana, West Africa

Green spaces such as forests, grasslands, and croplands (including gardens) can be found in urban environments. Although they benefit human and animal well-being, they have become threatened due to rapid urban growth and unplanned development. Yet, little attention has been given to studying the dynamics of urban green spaces in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, we examined the dynamics of land use and land cover (LULC) change and fragmentation (especially, green spaces) within the second fastest urbanising city in Ghana, Tamale. In particular, we focused our analyses on its urban core (∼5 km radius around the city centre) due to its relevance to urban economy and society. Landsat data was used to estimate fragmentation metrics of past and future LULC changes in the study area from 1990 to 2052. We found clear patterns of green space decline and fragmentation within the urban core: i.e., green spaces became patchy over time and the pattern was expected to continue in the future. Additionally, we found the built-up class benefited from the decline of green spaces with the latter being significantly negatively correlated with human population size. Our investigation reveals that protected forests and tree plantations contributed to a significant proportion of available green spaces in the urban core. However, these areas were becoming increasingly threatened by forest reserve downsizing, indiscriminate activities (e.g., logging and encroachment), and sale of public lands to private developers, practices commonly associated with population growth. Hence, the enforcement of relevant local legislations (e.g., the 2016 Land Use and Spatial Planning Act [Act 925]) coupled with the integration of urban initiatives and policies that encourage green spaces are needed to ensure the sustainability of urban ecosystems for the well-being of humans and the environment

Multiple conceptualizations of nature are key to inclusivity and legitimacy in global environmental governance

Despite increasing scientific understanding of the global environmental crisis, we struggle to adopt the policies science suggests would be effective. One of the reasons for that is the lack of inclusive engagement and dialogue among a wide range of different actors. Furthermore, there is a lack of consideration of differences between languages, worldviews and cultures. In this paper, we propose that engagement across the science-policy interface can be strengthened by being mindful of the breadth and depth of the diverse human-nature relations found around the globe. By examining diverse conceptualizations of “nature” in more than 60 languages, we identify three clusters: inclusive conceptualizations where humans are viewed as an integral component of nature; non-inclusive conceptualizations where humans are separate from nature; and deifying conceptualizations where nature is understood and experienced within a spiritual dimension. Considering and respecting this rich repertoire of ways of describing, thinking about and relating to nature can help us communicate in ways that resonate across cultures and worldviews. This repertoire also provides a resource we can draw on when defining policies and sustainability scenarios for the future, offering opportunities for finding solutions to global environmental challenges.Despite increasing scientific understanding of the global environmental crisis, we struggle to adopt the policies science suggests would be effective. One of the reasons for that is the lack of inclusive engagement and dialogue among a wide range of different actors. Furthermore, there is a lack of consideration of differences between languages, worldviews and cultures. In this paper, we propose that engagement across the science-policy interface can be strengthened by being mindful of the breadth and depth of the diverse human-nature relations found around the globe. By examining diverse conceptualizations of “nature” in more than 60 languages, we identify three clusters: inclusive conceptualizations where humans are viewed as an integral component of nature; non-inclusive conceptualizations where humans are separate from nature; and deifying conceptualizations where nature is understood and experienced within a spiritual dimension. Considering and respecting this rich repertoire of ways of describing, thinking about and relating to nature can help us communicate in ways that resonate across cultures and worldviews. This repertoire also provides a resource we can draw on when defining policies and sustainability scenarios for the future, offering opportunities for finding solutions to global environmental challenges.Peer reviewe

Multiple conceptualizations of nature are key to inclusivity and legitimacy in global environmental governance

Despite increasing scientific understanding of the global environmental crisis, we struggle to adopt the policies science suggests would be effective. One of the reasons for that is the lack of inclusive engagement and dialogue among a wide range of different actors. Furthermore, there is a lack of consideration of differences between languages, worldviews and cultures. In this paper, we propose that engagement across the science-policy interface can be strengthened by being mindful of the breadth and depth of the diverse human-nature relations found around the globe. By examining diverse conceptualizations of “nature” in more than 60 languages, we identify three clusters: inclusive conceptualizations where humans are viewed as an integral component of nature; non-inclusive conceptualizations where humans are separate from nature; and deifying conceptualizations where nature is understood and experienced within a spiritual dimension. Considering and respecting this rich repertoire of ways of describing, thinking about and relating to nature can help us communicate in ways that resonate across cultures and worldviews. This repertoire also provides a resource we can draw on when defining policies and sustainability scenarios for the future, offering opportunities for finding solutions to global environmental challenges