By Peter Dok Tindan* Divine Odame Appiah

1. ByPeter Dok Tindan*Divine Odame Appiah Land Degradation and Economic Activities: Linkages and Impacts in the Talensi-NabdamDistrict (TND), Ghana

2. Outline of presentation • Introduction • Problem in context • Theoretical basis of study • Research methods • Results and Discussions • Conclusion • Recommendations • References

3. Introduction • Sound and sustainable environmental management is a great challenge in this 21st century (Gausset and Whyte, 2005). • Land degradation is variedly understood (Eswaranet al., 2001; Adams, 2009). • Conventionally, argued as “decline in productivity of land” (Scherr and Yadav, 1996; Abass, 2007; UNEP, 2007).

4. Introduction cont’d • Land degradation has affected economic activities worldwide (Global Environment Facility, 2003). • Human economic activities are also argued to have caused decline in land quality (Eswaranet al., 2001). • We explore this complex interrelationship between land degradation and economic activities in the Talensi-NabdamDistrict.

5. Problem statement • Land degradation is a social, economic and environmental problem in TND (Adams, 2009). • It is a real challenge in TND, because of the fragility of the environment and the connection with human economic activities (TNDA, 2010; UNEP) • Economic activities in rural districts are predicated on natural resources, land, (Mayersand Vermeulen, 2002; TEEB 2010), Our operational connotation of economic activities “predominant primary economic activities, are livelihoods and economic gain in study area”.

6. Problem statement cont’d • agriculture; wood fuel production; hunting; illegal mining (galamsey); gravel and sand wining, amongst others. • Though extraction is important for human survival and maintenance, the increased human footprints (McCarthy, 2009), particularly land degradation is a call for greater concern (TNDA, 2010).

7. Theoretical basis of the study • The complex interrelationships between environment, economy and society (Adams, 2009). • Malthusian theory, increased population (human activities) for the demise of natural resource (Gausset and Whyte, 2005). • land degradation Human activities Environment Economy Society

8. Research methods (profile of study area)

9. Research methods cont’d • The cross-sectional design (Bryman, 2008). • Mixed research strategy (triangulation) • Both primary and secondary data types • A purposive sample of 140 household pre-coded questionnaires in communities • Ten (10) Semi-structured interviews for district dept. of Food and Agriculture (MOFA • quantitative data analyzing (SPSS) and qualitative data, thematically (inferential and descriptive statistics).

10. Results and Discussions • Perception of Land degradation in Talensi-Nabdam Table 1Extent of land degradation Source: Fieldwork, 2011 The severity, impact and prediction of Land degradation debated (Eswaran et al., 2001), this is true in TND. That notwithstanding,

11. Results and Discussions cont’d • The perception of land degradation is highly linked with processes driven by the major land use types (economic activities) in the locality. Source: Fieldwork, 2011

12. Results and discussion cont’d Table 4.1 Major processes of land degradation Source: Fieldwork 2011 Invariably, it is conclusive that, land degradation is directly linked with primary economic activities, (UNEP, 2007).

13. Pictures

14. Results and discussions cont’d • Impacts: • Loss of soil fertility affecting crop yield. Table 4.3 Cultivated areas against crop yield Source: Department of Food and Agriculture (MOFA, Talensi-Nabdam District)

15. Results and discussions cont’d • Low economic development; agriculture contributes 75% of LGDP (TNDA, 2010)- increased poverty and probably cause enhanced degradation • Lal (1999) 75 billion loss of soil and nutrient cost the world $400 billion per year. • Loss of surface cover (trees and grasses), economic trees like the Shea butter (Vitellariaparadoxa); Dawadawa, Baobab (Andansoniadigitata) and Acacia sp.; Neem (Azadirachtaindica) in the district.

16. Results and discussions cont’d • Compounds nutrients loss hence more dryness of the land (Waugh, 2005; Getiset al., 2005). • Increased money cost and time of household energy supply (TNDA, 2010). • Changes and/or variation in local climate, (TEEB, 2010).

17. Conclusions • The land in TND is highly degraded and there is high incidence of continual degradation- loss of soil fertility and visual degradation • Degrading processes are linked with primary economic activities; livelihoods and economic development. • Loss of land and it resources will have greater implications for sustainable development efforts in the district.

18. Recommendations • Appropriate application of organic manure and fertilizers, to restore loss and also prevent the depletion of soil nutrients. • Diversification of livelihoods; agro-forestry. • Foster effective licensing for illegal mining; gravel and sand wining. • Collaborative efforts on sustainable land use at community level.

19. Some references • Eswaran, H., Lal, R. and P.F. Reich (2001) Land degradation: an overview, available at: http://www.soils.usda.gov/use/worldsoils/.../land-degradation-overview.ht • Global Environment Facility (2003) Operation Program on Sustainable Land Management, available at: www.unccd.int/Lists/SiteDocumentLibrary/...7_2003/annex2b.pdf • Scherr, S. J. and Yadav, S. (1996); Land Degradation in the Developing World: Implications for Food, Agriculture, and the Environment to 2020, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, D.C, available at: http://www.pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNABY622.pdf • Talensi-NabdamDistrict Assembly (2010) Draft Strategic Environmental Report for the District Medium Term Development Plan under the Ghana Shered Growth and Development Agenda 2010-2013, available at: http://www.ghana.gov.gh/.../1455-district-to-review-medium-term-

20. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! • Hmmm, is sustainable environment management possible in the light of increasing poverty?