R4D Ghana

Adoption of climate change mitigation practices by risk-averse farmers in the Ashanti Region, Ghana

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:20 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: De Pinto, A.; Robertson, R.D.; Obiri, B.D. Adoption of climate change mitigation practices by risk-averse farmers in the Ashanti Region, Ghana. Ecological Economics (2013) 86: 47-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2012.11.002]

Summary: Uncertainty and risk-aversion are notably absent in the modeling of farmers' adoption of climate change mitigation practices in developing countries even though most of the agricultural mitigation practices also have effects on yield variability. The objective of this paper is to explore the implications for climate change mitigation projects of modeling farmers as risk neutral while in actuality they behave as risk-averse agents. Results indicate that when risk averse farmers are modeled as risk-neutral agents, the size of the incentives needed to induce participation to a carbon sequestration program is miscalculated with serious implications either for the success for projects that aim at compensating for climate change mitigation services or for the economic efficiency of such projects.

LDPI Working Paper 24. Gaining neighbours or big losers - what happened when large-scale, land-based investment in the Ghanaian oil palm sector met the local population on the ground?

Thu, 09 May 2013 08:27 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Väth, S.J. LDPI Working Paper 24. Gaining neighbours or big losers - what happened when large-scale, land-based investment in the Ghanaian oil palm sector met the local population on the ground? The Land Deal Politics Initiative, (2013) 31 pp.

Summary: Whether land transactions can benefit the local population depends on the governance system, the so-called rules of the game and their enforcement. As investors often face a weak institutional environment in target countries, outcomes for the local population frequently seem to be arbitrary and vary. This study draws on past and recent experiences in the Ghanaian oil palm sector. Based on qualitative and quantitative field research conducted in 2010/2011, the effects of a land-based, large-scale investment on people who received compensation, on neighbouring communities, on permanent and casual workers, as well as on contract farmers are analysed against a conceptual framework for land acquisitions inspired by the thoughts of Elinor Ostrom and Oliver Williamson. This leads to the main finding that outcomes are predominantly mixed and vary from very negative to positive for different population groups.

AFCAP Quarterly Report 13, January - March 2012

Wed, 08 May 2013 08:05 GMT

Production Year: 2012

Citation: Afcap Cmg. AFCAP Quarterly Report 13, January - March 2012. (2012) 52 pp.

Summary: This report details the activities undertaken by the African Community Access Programme (AFCAP) Core Management Group (CMG) during the period 1 January to 31 March 2012. This report provides updates regarding CMG performance against the programme logframe, as well as country and financial updates. Under AFCAP there are a range of projects which are reported upon in the body of the report.

Insights into Unmet Need in Ghana

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:59 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Machiyama, K.; Cleland, J. Insights into Unmet Need in Ghana. London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK (2013) 37 pp. [STEP UP Research Report]

Summary: Background: This study aims to establish the relative importance of lack of access and attitudinal resistance towards use of family planning for different population and geographical strata in Ghana. It is intended to inform policy makers on the priority that should be given to behaviour change communication or improved access/information, and also helpful to interventions to reduce health concerns and fear of side effects, such as provision of broader method mix and better counselling.

Method: Adopting the measures developed by Cleland et al. (2011), the study identified whether women with unmet need for family planning have access to (defined by knowledge of pills and injectables, and supply sources), and attitudinal acceptance of (defined by intention to use in the future), family planning. We assessed variations of unmet need across different population strata. We also estimated risk ratios of having unmet need across the population strata relative to using modern contraceptives. The analyses were focused on 1294 fecund and non-pregnant non-postpartum abstaining women aged 15-49 who were married or cohabiting at the time of the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey.

Results: Forty-two percent of the women had unmet need for family planning, among whom 77% had access and 56% had attitudinal acceptance. Though current use of a modern method was higher among women who wanted no more children than among those wishing to delay the next birth, unmet need was also much higher (55% versus 36%). Non-use among limiters accounted for 45% of all unmet need. There were substantial inequalities across population strata. More than 50% of women living in the Southern belt (Western, Central and Volta regions), those with no education, or women in the poorest quintile had unmet need for family planning. Problems of access were part of the explanation for high unmet need in these groups, though lack of knowledge or access was an uncommon reason given for non-use. Sixty percent of women who had a birth in the past 2 years had unmet need, and it was even higher among breast-feeding women. The dominant self-reported reason for non-use of family planning was health concerns/fear of side effects (43%), followed by infrequent sex (17%) and respondent’s opposition (14%). One-third of all women with unmet need had previously used pills or injectables.

Those stating infrequent sex as a reason for non-use were much more likely to have abstained in the past month. Recent abstinence was strongly related to the desire to avoid another birth for at least two years and to non-use of contraception. Temporary abstinence or reduced coital frequency appears to be an alternative to modern contraceptive use.

Though unmet need and fertility level are lower among more privileged strata (women with secondary schooling and those living in Greater Accra), modern method use has declined in these groups and traditional methods, particularly periodic abstinence, are more commonly used.

West African Agriculture and Climate Change: A Comprehensive Analysis

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:04 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Jalloh, A.; Nelson, G.C.; Thomas, T.S.; Zougmoré, R.; Roy-Macauley, H. West African Agriculture and Climate Change: A Comprehensive Analysis. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington, DC, USA (2013) 408 pp. ISBN 978-0-89629-204-8 [DOI: 10.2499/9780896292048]

Summary: The first of three books in IFPRI’s climate change in Africa series, West African Agriculture and Climate Change: A Comprehensive Analysis examines the food security threats facing 11 of the countries that make up West Africa - Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo - and explores how climate change will increase the efforts needed to achieve sustainable food security throughout the region.

West Africa’s population is expected to grow at least through mid-century. The region will also see income growth. Both will put increased pressure on the natural resources needed to produce food, and climate change makes the challenges greater. West Africa is already experiencing rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, and increasing extreme events. Without attention to adaptation, the poor will suffer.

Through the use of hundreds of scenario maps, models, figures, and detailed analysis, the editors and contributors of West African Agriculture and Climate Change present plausible future scenarios that combine economic and biophysical characteristics to explore the possible consequences for agriculture, food security, and resources management to 2050. They also offer recommendations to national governments and regional economic agencies already dealing with the vulnerabilities of climate change and deviations in environment.

Impact Evaluation of a New Millennium Village in Northern Ghana: Initial Design Document and Peer Review Assessment

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:45 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: PDS Ghana; IDS; ITAD; Brown, A.N.; Osei, R.D.; de Hoop, T.; Udry, C.; White, H. Impact Evaluation of a New Millennium Village in Northern Ghana: Initial Design Document and Peer Review Assessment. (2013)

Summary: The Initial Design Document sets out the conceptual approach and methodological for the independent impact evaluation of a new Millennium Villages Project in Northern Ghana. The document is accompanied by three appendices which look at: Quantitative Data Collection Instruments, Qualitative Methods and Tools, and Quality Assurance Protocols and Templates.

The evaluation will use a difference-in-difference (DD) approach, by comparing the change in outcomes in the MVP areas before implementation to post-implementation, with changes in the same outcomes for an explicit control group. The sustainability of the effects of the intervention will be assessed by estimating the effects of the intervention after 10 years, while externalities will be detected by building in an additional treatment so that the control consists of both ‘faraway’ and ‘nearby’ communities. Externalities will also be estimated through social network analyses. Complementary qualitative research will address the questions why and how the Millennium Village has or has not had an impact.

The IDD is structured in the following way: Firstly, the document starts with an overview of the MV, describing the intervention and its aims (Chapter 1). The rest of the document then provides details on the evaluation approach and methodology, including the programme theory, the quasi-experimental design, and the quantitative survey tools (Chapter 2). The cost-effectiveness methodology (Chapter 3) and the qualitative methodology (Chapter 4) are then covered, followed by the governance arrangements for the evaluation (Chapter 5). Finally, the IDD ends with a summary of the communication strategy (Chapter 6).

A Peer Review Group assessment of the initial design document has been conducted. The Design Document, appendices and assessment can be downloaded from the IDS website through the link provided.

FAC Working Paper 52. Chinese and Brazilian Cooperation with African Agriculture: The Case of Ghana

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:07 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Amanor, K.S. FAC Working Paper 52. Chinese and Brazilian Cooperation with African Agriculture: The Case of Ghana. Future Agricultures Consortium, Brighton, UK (2013) 14 pp.

Summary: This paper explores the differences in Brazilian and Chinese investments in Ghana. It examines the extent to which the framework of South-South cooperation illuminates or masks these changing relationships and their political economy dimensions. The process of economic restructuring has involved changing alignments between the state and private sectors. As such, the relationship between state and private sector foreign investments by these rising powers must be examined within the context of the Ghanaian and global rise of agribusiness, as well as government support for such agribusiness based on food value chain analysis and support for the concept of market governance. These developments are placed within a long-term framework for the changing agrarian political economy of Ghana and the impact of economic liberalisation on the Ghanaian agricultural economy. The paper also addresses the social vision of development embedded in these frameworks of South-South cooperation and whether they harmonise with Ghanaian agrarian sector visions and societal developments.

The first section examines the extent, framing and structure of Chinese and Brazilian investments in Ghana. The second section outlines the changing political economy of the agrarian sector within Ghana as well as the changing framework of agrarian policy in the context of market liberalisation and rise of agribusiness. The third section examines the specificities of Chinese agricultural investments in Ghana in relation to its wider investments and interests in Ghana. The fourth section examines Brazilian investments within the Ghanaian agricultural sector in relation to the expansion of Brazilian agribusiness and its integration into the global economy. Lastly, the final section deliberates on the impact of such developments on Ghanaian agriculture and society.

Addressing Public Health Issues in Urban Vegetable Farming in Ghana

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:45 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Anon. Addressing Public Health Issues in Urban Vegetable Farming in Ghana. The CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food, Sri Lanka (2013) 4 pp.

Summary: The livelihoods of vegetable growers in and around Accra, Ghana were threatened by a city bylaw banning the use of polluted drain water, their main source of irrigation. This project built on past work by local universities to find solutions to reduce health risks without compromising the livelihoods of the producers and the health of the consumers. Farm level interventions included low-cost water treatment methods and safer irrigation practices. Interventions in the street food sector focused on appropriate vegetable washing.

These low-cost measures showed varying potentials for risk reduction, but used in combination they are significantly more effective in ensuring food safety. The project helped establish strong working relationships with farmers’ organizations and networks of farmers and food sellers and led to various follow-up projects and the founding of the Ghana Environmental Health Platform.

Maximizing Rainwater and Nutrient Use in the Volta Basin

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:18 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Anon. Maximizing Rainwater and Nutrient Use in the Volta Basin. The CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food, Sri Lanka (2013) 4 pp.

Summary: Using an integrated approach to water, nutrient and crop management, this research project optimized the use of inputs and improved crop production in semi-arid areas in the Volta basin, where rain-fed agriculture is often considered a risky venture. Working with communities in Burkina Faso and Ghana, the project demonstrated that crop yields can be increased several-fold through the introduction of simple, low-cost technologies and the inclusion of legumes in the crop rotation systems.

In order to help farmers capitalize on their increased crop yields, the project introduced an inventory credit system which has led to increased household food security and financial stability for farmers. Key to the long-term success of this project were the farmers’ associations and community based organizations that worked as partners with researchers.

Global energy markets. What do African resource finds mean for global energy supply in relation to demand in coming years?

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 09:38 GMT

Production Year: 2012

Citation: Holden, J. Global energy markets. What do African resource finds mean for global energy supply in relation to demand in coming years? EPS PEAKS, UK (2012) 35 pp.

Summary:

This paper looks at the current state of play in energy markets, in terms of production, consumption, reserves and the pipeline of investments.

Chapter 2, Energy: the current state of play, looks at the current level of consumption, recent trends for energy, and the energy mix by fuel type. It then looks at the nature and location of consumption, the level of international reserves of fossil fuels, and production levels including of electricity. Finally there is a discussion on climate change, CO2 emissions, and the potential limit this places on future production and use of fossil fuels.

Chapter 3, Scenarios for energy markets in coming years, firstly assesses the short-term investment outlook for energy markets using the best data available. It then looks at some high-level scenarios for energy demand and supply made up to 2030, 2035 or 2040. It describes how modelling is undertaken and the key assumptions that underlie scenarios. It then looks in detail at one publically available model and projections, namely, the World Energy Outlook 2010, built using the IEA’s World Energy Model (WEM).

Chapter 4, The significance of new finds, looks at recent finds of fossil fuels in Africa – including oil in Uganda and Ghana, East African gas and Mozambican coal. It aims to show how the size and potential of these finds compares to international supply and demand, and thus estimates the significance of these finds for world energy markets.