Divine Odame Appiah

Application of Geo-Information Techniques in Land Use and Land Cover Change Analysis in a Peri-Urban District of Ghana

Using Satellite Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System, this paper analyzes the land use and land cover change dynamics in the Bosomtwe District of Ghana, for 1986, 2010 thematic mapper and enhanced thematic Mapper+ (TM/ETM+) images, and 2014 Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager and Thermal Infrared Sensor (OLI/TIS) image. The three images were geo-referenced and processed for classification, using the maximum likelihood classifier algorithm. A Jeffries-Matusita’s separability check was used in confirming the degree of spectral separation acceptability of the bands used for each of the land use and land cover classes. The best Kappa hat statistic of classification accuracy was 83%. Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) transition analysis in Environmental Systems Research Institute ESRI’s ArcMap was performed. The results of the classification over the three periods showed that built up, bare land and concrete surfaces increased from 1201 in 1986 to 5454 ha in 2010. Dense forest decreased by 2253 ha over the same period and increased by 873 ha by the 2014. Low forest also decreased by 1043 ha in 2010; however, it increased by 13% in 2014. Our findings showed some of the important changes in the land use and land cover patterns in the District. After the urbanization process, coupled with farmland abandonment, between 1986 and 2010, substantial increments in urban land and clear increments in farmland coverage between 1986 and 2014were found to be the reason for vegetation cover decreases. This suggests that major changes in the socio-ecological driving forces affecting landscape dynamics have occurred in the last few decades.

Comparative Analysis of Households Solid Waste Management in Rural and Urban Ghana.

The comparative analysis of solid waste management between rural and urban Ghana is largely lacking. This study investigated the solid waste situation and the organisation of solid waste management in both urban and rural settings from the perspective of households. The study employed cross-sectional survey covering both rural and urban districts in the Ashanti and Greater Accra Regions of Ghana. The study systematically sampled houses from which 400 households and respondents were randomly selected. Pearsons Chi square test was used to compare demographic and socioeconomic variables in rural and urban areas. Multivariate Test, Tests of Between-Subjects Effects, and Pair-Wise Comparisons were performed through one-way MANOVA to determine whether or not solid waste situations in rural and urban areas are significantly different. The results revealed that location significantly affects solid waste management in Ghana. Urban communities had lower mean scores than rural communities for poor solid waste situation in homes. However, urban communities had higher mean scores than rural communities for poor solid waste situation in principal streets and dumping sites. The study recommends that the local government authorities implement very comprehensive policies (sanitary inspection, infrastructure development, and community participation) that will take into consideration the specific solid waste management needs of both urban and rural areas.

Agricultural and Forest Land Use Potential for REDD+ among Smallholder Land Users in Rural Ghana

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation with other benefits (REDD+) mechanism is supposed to address the reversal of forest-based land degradation, conservation of existing carbon stocks, and enhancement of carbon sequestration. The Bosomtwe District is predominantly agrarian with potentials for climate change mitigation through REDD+ mechanism among smallholder farmers. The limited knowledge and practices of this strategy among farmers are limiting potentials of mitigating climate change. This paper assesses the REDD+ potentials among smallholder farmers in the district. Using a triangulation of quantitative and qualitative design, 152 farmer-respondents were purposively sampled and interviewed, using snowballing method from 12 communities. Quantitative data gathered were subjected to the tools of contingency and frequencies analysis, embedded in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) v.16. The qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Results indicate that respondents have knowledge of REDD+ but not the intended benefit sharing regimes that can accrue to the smallholder farmers. Farmers’ willingness to practice REDD+ will be based on the motivation and incentive potentials of the strategies. The Forestry Services Division should promote the practice of REDD+ among smallholder farmers through education, to whip and sustain interest in the strategy.

Land Use Conversion Probabilities in a Peri-Urban District of Ghana

This paper is a critical review, which synthesizes the theory-application linkage of peri-urban land use and land cover changes (LULCC) using the Bosomtwe District in the Ashanti Region of Ghana as the case. From abstractive thinking to empirical possibility, we conjecture human decisions within agent-based modeling (ABM) perspective. The key question the paper has tried to answer is: what are the probable future land use conversion and modification potentials in the district? LULCC in peri-urban areas respond to social and biophysical dynamics. These control spatial distribution of populations, infrastructure, and the space economy. Under systemic laxity of controls, peri-urban land uses deviate from effective land use plans.

Peri-urban Households’ Constraints to Water Security and Changing Economic Needs Under Climate Variability in Ghana

Abstract Households in the Wa municipality depend on rainfall for their water supply. However, rainfall pattern in the area is highly erratic interspersed with drought. This poses a challenge to water availability, which affects the domestic and the commercial activities of the people. This chapter outlines the households’ constraints to adaptation against climate variability in ensuring water insecurity among the peri-urban residents. Using a mixed research design, 345 household partially precoded questionnaires were proportionately administered, together with focus group discussions (FGDs) organized in seven communities. Data were analyzed using the statistical product for services’ solution (SPSS) version 20 for Windows application. Results indicated that the respondents were aware of the occurrences of climate variability but did not understand its concept. It was observed that respondents with higher formal education were more aware of climate variability than those with low formal education. Adaptation strategies included planting trees around their homes and farms and also engaging in more than one economic activity. It was also observed that low access to technology to harvest rainfall together with poverty were the major constraints for adaptation to climate variability and water insecurity. The study recommends that climate change terminology be translated into local languages for easy understanding by many people. Their capacity should be built on rainwater harvesting to enable them tap rainwater.

Smallholder farmers’ insight on climate change in rural Ghana

Abstract The Offinso Municipality in the Ashanti region of Ghana as an agricultural region, is vulnerable to climate variability and climate change. A greater segment of the population is least able to buffer and reverberate from climatic stress. This paper assesses the perceptual insights of rural smallholder farmers on climate change and how it influences their adaptation practices. Using a triangulation of the quantitative with qualitative methodological approach we purposively sampled 102 farmer respondents and 15 key informants from 3 communities in the Municipality. Quantitative and qualitative data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics technique of cross-tabulation and frequency tools in the statistical package for social sciences Version 17 and thematic content analysis respectively. The results from the respondents indicated that a myriad of factors are responsible for the anthropogenic climate change. These were the deforestation, bad farming practices, bush burning and emissions from light industrial and vehicular emissions. Also considered was the precarious effect of climate change on smallholder farmers’ crop yield, due to reduced rainfall and high temperatures, the proxy variables for climate variability and change. These adverse impacts accordingly have repercussions on their livelihood sustenance. Thus, the practicing of agroforestry as both adaptation and mitigation among smallholder farmers is essential to build local resilience, and to promote climate-smart agriculture.

Hindrances to adaptation to water insecurity under climate variability in peri-urban Ghana

Abstract Water insecurity is a development challenge confronting households in the Wa municipality. This paper outlines the hindrances to climate variability adaptation to water insecurity among peri-urban residents within the Wa Municipality. A sample of 345 households was randomly selected from seven communities together with a staff from the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) for interviews. The data were analyzed using the statistical tools embedded in the Statistical Product for Services Solution software. Results indicate that climate variability is the main contributing factor to water insecurity in the study area. Hindrances to adaptation to water insecurity include the cost of obtaining water, time spent and distance travelled to obtain water, low literacy levels, income poverty and language barriers to direct translation of climate terminology. The paper recommends that the Municipal Assembly in collaboration with Non-governmental organizations should provide alternative water sources in addition to rainwater for the people in the area.

Modelling the Perspective of Agricultural Land Use Trajectories in a Peri - Urban District of Ghana

An article published by Journal of Scientific Research & Reports 5(1): 16-31, 2015; Article no.JSRR.2015.071