Fighting Over Forest: Toward a Shared Analysis of Livelihood Conflicts and Conflict Management in Ghana |
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| Authors: | Mercy Derkyi Mirjam A F Ros-Tonen Boateng Kyereh Ton Dietz |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Natural Resources and Environmental Management , University of Energy and Natural Resources , Sunyani , Ghana afuaderkyi@yahoo.com;3. mercy.derkyi@uenr.edu.gh;4. Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research , University of Amsterdam , Amsterdam , The Netherlands;5. Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources , Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology , Kumasi , Ghana;6. African Studies Centre , Leiden , The Netherlands |
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| Abstract: | Conflicts undermine forest-based livelihoods for the rural poor. Conflict management is key to preventing such conflicts. This article analyzes actor perceptions of forest- and tree-related conflicts and conflict management in Ghana's high forest zone. It also assesses a phased methodology that promotes shared problem definition and ownership of recommendations on conflict resolution strategies through the presentation and discussion of findings from document analysis, surveys, interviews, and focus-group discussions at a workshop with forest professionals held in Kumasi, Ghana. The study found that conflicts are inherent in forest-based livelihoods due to policy and legislative failures and institutional deficiencies, perceived goal incompatibility, opportunities for interfering with the attainment of one another's goals, and environmental scarcity. Ongoing forest governance reforms in Ghana should consider the stepwise conflict management model developed by the workshop participants involved in this study, but expand it to include the views of other stakeholder groups. |
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| Keywords: | conflict conflict management forest governance forest- and tree-based livelihoods Ghana high forest zone |
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