The centre of Ghana development is land that plays a
vital role. This article focused mainly on the rapid land degradation and
deforestation due to bush fires, poorly managed grazing, farming and
agricultural conversion, current forest/woodland
governance systems and major policy gaps that were identified. A combination
of methods used included: Extensive study of secondary literature/reports/programmes/write-ups
(from 1999-2004), key informant interview: a
one-on-one interview with Government Officials,
7 responsible for forest management, Forestry, Commission and
Traditional Institutions (men-10, women-5),
elders-6, and functionaries-4
living in the community, phased assertion.
The study recommend Forest Management System needs to be evolved that includes the management and development of sacred groves,
shrines, sacred bodies and natures, and totems; associated with indigenous
agricultural practices and seeds, indigenous agro-ecological management
practices, indigenous tree and vegetation management practices, indigenous
livelihood developments and human activity systems which are both enhancing and militating against biodiversity
conservation and development encourage and
systematically develop traditionally protect areas/plants/animals
(TPAs). Attention should be paid to conservation of: 1) sacred groves; 2) burial grounds and spiritual lands; 3) sacred water bodies and fauna; 4) totemic animals; 5) traditional
cultural practices; 6) farming
systems; 7) traditional crop varieties; 8) home gardens; 9) graze-lands
and rest lands; 10) wild
fruits supply systems.
Cite this paper
Agana, T. , Kaunza, M. K. and Millar, D. (2018). Endogenous Forest Development Paradigm: Challenging Current Forest Conservation Practices in Ghana. Open Access Library Journal, 5, e4169. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1104169.
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