Browsing by Author "Saito, O."
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Item Challenges and Potential Solutions for Sustainable Urban-Rural Linkages in a Ghanaian Context(Sustainability, 2020-01-09) Mensah, A.; Somanje, A.N.; Mohan, G.; Lopes, J.; Gordon, C.; Zhou, X.; Moinuddin, M.; Saito, O.; Takeuchi, K.Urban-rural linkages are an integral part of fostering development in both urban and rural communities. However, the focus on development tends to have an urban bias toward Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with an increase in urbanization. Ghana is one of the fastest urbanizing countries in SSA. This paper sought to identify the challenges of urban-rural linkages, their corresponding solutions, and contributions to Agenda 2030 that are context-specific to Ghana through a stepwise solution scanning technique. In step 1, the study applied a scoping process to identify the urban-rural challenges. In step 2, a solution for the identified urban-rural challenges in step 1 was co-designed. In step 3, each identified solution was assessed based on its potential to contribute to all three pillars of sustainability by ranking and prioritization. In step 4, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) interlinkages of the top five prioritized potential solutions were analyzed. The identified challenges were (1) inequality and gender gaps, (2) poor and lack of basic and economic infrastructures, (3) the limited e ectiveness of decentralization, and (4) food and nutrition security dynamics. The prioritized potential solutions were gender inclusiveness, investment in infrastructures, sustainable agricultural systems, e ective decentralization, and financial inclusion. This study recommends maximizing the synergies and minimizing the trade-o s between the SDGs of the potential solutions identified.Item Developing a Community-Based Resilience Assessment Model with reference to Northern Ghana(Journal of Integrated Disaster Risk Management, 2014) Antwi, E.K.; Otsuki, K.; Saito, O.; Obeng, F.K.; Gyekye, K.A.; Boakye-Danquah, J; Boafo, Y.A.; Kusakari, Y.; Yiran, G.A.B.; Owusu, A.B.; Asubonteng, K.O.; Dzivenu, T.; Avornyo, V.K.; Abagale, F.K.; Jasaw, G.S.; Lolig, V.; Ganiyu, S.; Donkoh, S.A.; Yeboah, R.; Kranjac-Berisavljevic, G.; Gyasi, E.A.; Minia, Z.; Ayuk, E.T.; Matsuda, H.; Ishikawa, H.; Ito, O.; Takeuchi, K.Faced with adversarial climatic and physical conditions and an inept socioeconomic development priorities, Northern Ghana remains one of the regions that are most vulnerable to climate-related shocks and disturbances in semi-arid Africa. Because of the effect of frequent floods, droughts, and bushfires, entire livelihoods in Ghana’s predominantly smallholder agricultural population are under threat. In this paper, we present a model for community-based resilience assessment. This model was developed through an experiment conducted in selected rural communities in the Tolon and Wa West Districts in the Northern and Upper West Regions of Ghana. This experiment underpinned an ongoing five-year collaborative research project, Climate and Ecosystem Change Adaptation and Resilience Research in Semi-Arid Africa: An Integrated Approach (CECAR-Africa), and involved researchers and scientists from institutions in Ghana and Japan. Drawing on the findings from extensive literature review, field surveys, focus group discussions, unstructured interviews with various stakeholders, and participatory observations, we developed a matrix for assessing the different categories of community resilience (ecological, engineering, and socioeconomic). The outcome of this resilience matrix, herein called an “integrated” assessment model, offers a mix of factors that could improve societal reorganization when faced with shocks or disturbances. The integrated model provides a workable assessment criteria and key indicators for community level resilience assessments. This experiment proved valuable and highly effective in selecting case study communities for CECAR-Africa. The next step will involve the testing and development of similar criteria and indicators to measure household level resilience.Item Food security impacts of industrial crop production in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of the impact mechanisms(Food Security, 2020-02) Jarzebski, M.P.; Ahmed, A.; Balde, B.S.; Chinangwa, L.; Saito, O.; von Maltitz, G.; Gasparatos, A.A number of industrial crops have been promoted in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to meet a range of policy objectives including economic growth, rural development, agricultural modernization and energy security. The food security impacts of industrial crop production have received extensive policyattention and have been widely discussed in the academic literature. There is, however, an overall lack of a clear understanding of these impacts due to thelarge diversity of industrial crops, and their varied modes of production, expansion areas, and impact mechanisms. This systematic review synthesizes theavailable knowledge on the interface of industrial crops and food security in SSA. In particular we identify key patterns with how different industrial cropsand impact mechanisms are represented and studied in the current literature, and how they intersect to affect food security. The current literature isfragmented, as most studies focus on single or small subsets of crops and impact mechanisms. Most studies capture mechanisms related to food access andavailability, rather than to food utilization and stability. A clustering analysis identified the main literature clusters that combine mechanisms related to foodavailability, access to food, and environmental impact. The overall analysis presented in this systematic review allowed us to identify priority policy andpractice domains that need to be targeted in order to improve the food security outcomes of industrial crop production in SSAItem Impact of farm management practices and agricultural land use on soil organic carbon storage potential in the Savannah Ecological zone of Northern Ghana(Journal of Disaster Research, 2014-08) Boakye-Danquah, J.; Antwi, E.K.; Saito, O.; Abekoe, M.K.; Takeuchi, K.In recent times, there has been increasing interest in the importance of agricultural soils as global carbon sinks, and the opportunity of enhancing the resilience of degraded agroecosystems - particularly in savannah regions of the world. However, this opportunity is largely a function of land use and/or land management choices, which differ between and within regions. In the present study, we investigated the role of agriculture land use and farm management practices on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in the savannah regions of northern Ghana. We evaluated selected land use types by using an integrated approach, involving on-farm interviews, community transect walks, land use monitoring, and soil sampling. Our results indicated that, at the landscape level, community land use and resource needs are important determinants of SOC storage in farmlands. We determined low SOC accumulation across the investigated landscape; however, the relatively high SOC stock in protected lands compared with croplands implies the potential for increasing SOC build-up by using recommended management practices. Low incomes, constraints to fertilizer use, low biomass availability, and reductions in fallow periods remain as barriers to SOC buildup. In this context, global soil carbon storage potential and smallholder food production systems will benefit from an ecosystembased adaptation strategy that prioritizes building a portfolio of carbon stores at the landscape level.Item Working with indigenous, local and scientific knowledge in assessments of nature and nature’s linkages with people(ScienceDirect, 2020-01-15) Yeboah, A.A.O.; Hill, R.; Adem, C.; Alangui, W.V.; Molnar, Z.; Aumeeruddy-Thomas, Y.; Bridgewater, P.; Tengo, M.; Thaman, R.; Yao, C.Y.A.; Berkes, F.; Carino, J.; Carneiro da Cunha, M.; Diaw, M.C.; Dıaz, S.; Figueroa, V.E.; Fisher, J.; Hardison, P.; Ichikawa, K.; Kariuki, P.; Karki, M.; Lyver, P.O.; Malmer, P.; Masardule, O.; Pacheco, D.; Pataridze, T.; Perez, E.; Roue, M-M.; Roba, H.; Rubis, J.; Saito, O.; Xue, D.Working with indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) is vital for inclusive assessments of nature and nature’s linkages with people. Indigenous peoples’ concepts about what constitutes sustainability, for example, differ markedly from dominant sustainability discourses. The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services (IPBES) is promoting dialogue across different knowledge systems globally. In 2017, member states of IPBES adopted an ILK Approach including: procedures for assessments of nature and nature’s linkages with people; a participatory mechanism; and institutional arrangements for including indigenous peoples and local communities. We present this Approach and analyse how it supports ILK in IPBES assessments through: respecting rights; supporting care and mutuality; strengthening communities and their knowledge systems; and supporting knowledge exchange. Customary institutions that ensure the integrity of ILK, effective empowering dialogues, and shared governance are among critical capacities that enable inclusion of diverse conceptualizations of sustainability in assessments.