Non-timber Forest Products, Climate Change Resilience, and Poverty Alleviation in Northern Ghana

Abstract

This study was conducted in the savannah woodlands of Northern Ghana, an area characterized by a higher incidence of poverty relative to other parts of the country. The purpose of the study was to determine the contribution of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to household food and income security and the extent to which NTFPs contribute to resilient rural livelihoods in the face of climate change. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative data-collection methods. Questionnaires were utilized to obtain data from randomly selected respondents in various communities across the northern, upper-west, and upper-east regions of Ghana. Additionally, key informant interviews, observations, and focus group discussions were employed to obtain further information on specific aspects of NTFPs. Market surveys were also conducted in selected markets to obtain information related to the marketing of NTFPs. The findings revealed that NTFPs contribute significantly to rural livelihoods by way of food, employment, and income, particularly for the poor and vulnerable. However, recent trends indicate that the resource base of NTFPs is dwindling, partly because of overexploitation and expansion of agricultural lands. Climate change has highlighted the need to explore options to ensure a more resilient food system in Northern Ghana by way of optimizing the benefits of the agriculture and forestry sectors in a mutual fashion. Consequently, this chapter concludes by proposing a framework and innovative pathways for achieving this goal.