Evaluation of the Potential Impacts of the Riparian Buffer Zone Policy on the Livelihoods of People in Communities along the Black Volta in Wa West District, Ghana.

Abstract

Environmental and climate change/variability have become challenges to meeting development goals globally. Human activities have contributed to the ongoing environmental changes. Policies have emerged globally and locally to protect, conserve and manage the environment (ecosystems) for their continuous functioning. In 2013, the Riparian Buffer Zone Policy (RBZP) to manage freshwater resources in Ghana was launched. The policy aims at regulating human activities along freshwater bodies through sustainable practices. This study evaluates the impacts of the implementation of the policy on livelihoods of people in three communities (Kantu, Kpanfaa and Toulle) along the Black Volta River in the Wa West District. The main objectives were to determine the socio-economic status of the people in the communities; to assess the awareness of the people about the policy and to assess the dependence of the people on the Black Volta River and the implications of the policy implementation on their livelihoods. Primary data were collected through the administration of structured and semi structured questionnaire to households (n= 193) in the study communities and through interviews with key informants. Secondary data were taken from relevant published government documents. Respondents in the three communities depended on the Black Volta River for livelihood activities including, domestic water supply (43%), oyster harvesting (20%) and animal watering (27%). Respondents in the three communities depended highly on natural resources as their income sources. The main income sources of respondents in the communities included: crop production, livestock production, charcoal production, fishing, and trading; with majority (63.7%) depending on crop production as their primary income source. Majority of the respondents, (64.2%) did not have savings either at home or in a financial institution and the remaining 36% had savings. The main source of drinking water in all three communities was machine drilled boreholes. About 80% of respondents in the three communities depend on the water resources from the Black Volta for several livelihood activities, while 20% did not depend on the river for any livelihood activity. Besides crop cultivation, forest lands along the Black Volta served as grazing fields for livestock in all three communities. Respondents (93%) of the three communities were not aware of the Riparian Buffer Zone Policy and only one out of five key informants was aware of the policy. However, about half (51%) of respondents stated they would comply with the policy while, 27% of respondents stated they would demand compensation from implementers before they comply. The remaining (15%) indicated they would do as told by their Chiefs. Majority of respondents (64%) predicted the implementation of the policy would impact on food availability and on incomes in the three communities. From this study, the implementation of the Riparian Buffer Zone Policy will highly affect food availability, mostly crops and livestock due to loss of grazing and farmlands in the three communities. The low awareness of the Riparian Buffer Zone Policy by respondents indicates the need for intensive public awareness creation, especially in riparian communities.

Description

Thesis(MPHIL)-University of Ghana, 2015

Keywords

Riparian Buffer Zone Policy, Livelihoods, Black Volta

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