Peri-urban transformation and shared natural resources: the case of shea trees depletion and livelihood in Wa municipality, Northwestern Ghana

Abstract

This article explores the implication of urban expansion on shared natural resources and livelihoods in peri-urban areas of Wa municipality of Northwestern Ghana using mainly qualitative research methods. The study shows that rapid urban expansion is the main driver of the depletion of shea trees and livelihood transformation of the people living in these hitherto rural areas. Peri-urbanization manifests in many forms including the clearing of shea trees to make way for sand/stone mining and residential housing. The lumbering of shea trees for charcoal making and fuelwood to meet urban energy demands and the breakdown of traditional customary laws and the non-existence of land use plans in these areas are further factors behind the depletion of shea trees. The study concludes that peri-urbanization of Wa and its rural surroundings is not producing the desired transformations in livelihood, but rather poses an enormous challenge for the use and management of shea trees for the population whose livelihoods depend on them. Drawing on these processes and recognition of trade-offs between objectives, uses and users, relevant policy options are recommended.

Urbanisation as driver of food system transformation and opportunities for rural livelihoods

“…Urbanisation influences land-use, which again affects rural livelihoods. Especially in rural regions close to cities, the conversion of agricultural land to urban land affects the livelihoods of people living in or depending on these lands (Smit 2016 ; Dapilah et al 2019 ; Marshall and Randhawa 2017 ). As agricultural land around cities converts to urban land, this is compensated by the development of new cropland in more remote areas, mostly leading to a loss in natural areas (van Vliet, 2019 ).…”

Impact Quantification of Decentralization in Urban Growth by Extracting Impervious Surfaces Using ISEI in Model Maker

“…The Wa township is also growing as also demonstrated by [64]. Usually, the growth factor is a quantity factor by which a quantity multiplies itself over time whereas GR, on the other hand, is the addend by which that quantity changes over time.…”

“…This is clearly shown in column 3 of Table 4 where the district population GR is highest for the period 1995-2000 but does not correspond proportionally to the increase in imperviousness. Now, the built-up and imperviousness of the district or municipality has expanded beyond the Wa township or the central business district [64] if it is compared with the area as quoted by [46].…”

Conflicting urban land uses at the fringes: issues and experiences of peri-urban farmers in an urbanizing city in Ghana

“…Critical engagements with urban expansion as a conceptual debate in the sub-Saharan African (SSA) context often couch the urban expansion within examinations of core-periphery relationships, in terms of the interactions and distribution of opportunities and challenges between the urban core and peripheral societies (UN-Habitat 2010;World Bank 2018). In Africa, urban expansion has resulted in changes in land use patterns in peripheral communities (Oduro et al 2015;Dapilah et al 2018;Osumanu et al 2019). In most cases, the expansion has resulted in industrial, commercial, and residential development, leading to urban sprawl and consequently altering the physical environment.…”

“…Studies (Amoah and Kosoe 2014;Owusu-Sekyere et al 2017;Osumanu et al 2019; Osumanu and Akombangre 2020) on cities' sprawling have looked at the processes and patterns. Others have also studied the effects of urban expansion on agricultural lands (Naab et al 2013;Lasisi et al 2017) and farmers' livelihood (Eledi and Kuusaana 2015b;Dapilah et al 2018;Korah et al 2018). In this paper, we contribute to the on-going debate by reflecting on the broader issues of urban transition in the Wa municipality, focusing on three themes.…”