article · Environmental Management
Forests and vegetation biomes in the Ashanti region of Ghana are critical to local livelihoods, but sustainable resource management remains difficult. An investigation into the drivers and effects of deforestation between 2000 and 2020 combined qualitative and space-based data to assess changes in vegetation cover. The region experienced moderate to sparse vegetation across multiple years, with vegetation completely absent in the northcentral section. Deforestation grew exponentially over time, showing a strong correlation with the passing years and peaking at roughly 16,000 square kilometres in 2018, followed by heavy losses in southeastern areas in 2020. These trends are linked to climate change, farming, government policies, and related disasters. Despite these pressures, vulnerable communities actively work to develop adaptive capacity and resilience. Inclusive policy frameworks that co-create strategies with local populations can help restore land and sustain livelihoods.
Rural communities depend heavily on local ecosystems for their survival and economic well-being. Rapid deforestation threatens these livelihoods and worsens the effects of climate change. Demonstrating how local populations actively adapt helps planners design practical, community-centred environmental policies that protect natural resources while reducing poverty.
The research provides analytical insights and participatory frameworks that can inform regional planning, conservation initiatives, and land restoration programmes managed by public authorities and development organisations. As policy-oriented and observational research, it remains at an early conceptual stage regarding commercial products, though the spatial analysis methods could support environmental monitoring services.
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The Ashanti region in Ghana, abundant in natural resources such as forests and vegetation biomes, significantly supports the livelihoods of a significant portion of the population. The sustainable management of forest resources remains a significant challenge to achieving environmental and economic growth and poverty alleviation. The study aims to identify the drivers of deforestation and assess its impact on the livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable communities in the Ashanti region. The study utilized qualitative and space-based data to examine the patterns of vegetation cover and deforestation from 2000 to 2020. The results revealed moderate to sparse vegetation in Ashanti from 2002, 2005, 2011, 2015, 2017, and 2018, with no vegetation in the northcentral part, attributed to climate change, agricultural practices, government policies, and deforestation-related disasters. The study found a significant correlation (R² = 0.8197) between years and deforestation areas, especially in 2018 at around 16,000 Sqkm, indicating an exponential increase with severe implications for sustainable livelihoods. Much of these changes were reflected in 2020 with a high peak of deforestation towards the southeastern parts of the region. Additionally, the results show that the poor groups are not passive actors but are actively involved in identifying systems and processes through which to build their adaptive capacity and resilience to environmental and climate change-induced changes. The findings provide evidence-based and all-inclusive approaches that would encourage vulnerable and marginalized groups to participate in the co-production and co-creation of policies and strategies. This outcome is geared towards transformative and sustainable communities while ensuring efficient and effective response and recovery capacities of deforested lands.
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DOI: 10.1007/s00267-024-02053-6
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