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UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND LIVELffiOOD OPTIONS: A CASE STUDY OF KAKUM CONSERVATION AREA jot..........-- .....__....._ =_:':':"'_=====.. --=- cn.Als"8 i ~- t r----:~--.~-_.=.. _-_.~.I r. AccessioN NO I . 1 BY 5.1,p... CAT.CHECKED PINAl. aHl:C~ J I I.- . I JOSEPH YAW OPPONG A MASTER'S THESES SUBMITTED TO THE CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES OF THE FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE . REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF :r-.1ASTER OF ARTS DEGREE IN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND POLICY DEGREE 2007 IIUI\l~I!I.~"I'HE.... LI8RARY_ DECLARATIONS Candidate's Declaration "I hereby declare that this thesis is the result of my own original research and that no part of it has been presented for another degree in this University or elsewhere". l,c ~ Date 1 Iof.- . Joseph Yaw Oppong Supervisor's Declaration "I hereby declare that the preparation of this thesis was supervised in accordance with the guidelines on supervision of thesis laid down by the University ofCape Coast". Mr. Joseph Boateng Agyenim ii ABSTRACT I I The Kakum Conservation Area (KCA) was part of a system of social I I cohesion within a culture. That environment created a sub-culture providing for I the people food, clothing and shelter among others. By the creation of the I conservation area, restrictions were imposed on the communities around it. There is therefore a persistent attempt by the communities to illegally enter the restricted area in the quest to satisfy their livelihood needs. This work examined the conservation and livelihood situations in twelve (12) communities around the Kakum Conservation Area (KCA). The purposive sampling method was used in selecting the communities. The study relied on the outcome of focus group discussions (FGDs) and data collected from the field. The use of data from other published and unpublished works were employed to buttress findings and trend analysis. The study confirmed that resource decline in fringe lands encourage poaching. Other fiildings include the absence of benefit sharing scheme resulting ill high poverty1eve1s, inadequate public education and awareness creation, high I II land acquisition rent charges and, community involvement in park management. , , i Recommendations are offered based upon the findings to curb the menace of poaching and encroachment in KCA include increasing public education and awareness creation to win support of the fringe communities; benefit sharing and gender equity; and above all the introduction of sustainable livelihood options to meet the livelihood requirements ofthe fringe communities. iii \1 ,Ii u OEmCATION !. f I' To my parents. wife and children. I I I, 1 I I I: r I IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It is said that "Gratitude is the least of virtues and ingratitude the worst of vices". It is on the verge ofthis do I render my heartfelt gratitude to the following people for their immeasurable assistance to me which enabled this work to see the light at the end ofthe tunnel. My sincerest gratitude goes to my supervisor Mr. Joseph Boateng Agyenim for skillfully and patiently directing me in the execution of this work. I also thank the management of the Wildlife Division (Forestry Commission) for granting me the permission to pursue the course. To Messrs E.L. Lamptey, Ben Oduro, Volta-Tineh, Kojo Menka, Osei Tutu Bediako, Kusi Boateng and Mrs. Vivian A.N. Nuhu, I say thank you for building my confidence to go through the entire EMP course. I am equally grateful to my course mates especially Mr. Cosmos E. Nsor, Mr. Albert Adusei and Mrs. P.T.A Nii Okpe for periodic consultations on specific issues concerning academic work and the nice time we have all had. My brother Edward Oppong-Aboagye must be mentioned for his teclmical support 'he gave me in the search for materials and lots of computer work. I am indeed thankful to Messrs C. C. Amankwaa, E.D. Nimo, Nana Adu Nsiah (Executive Director, Wildlife Division, Forestry Commission), AX. Agyare, Moses Sam, Victor Nettey, Thony Kraka, Timothy Bansa, Kwabena Bobie (Assistant Headmaster, Osei Tutu Secondary School), Cletus Nateg (Senior Wildlife Officer) Kakum National Park and the entire staff for their support and assistance. On the hindsight, I should be grateful to my wife, children - Jacqueline and Patience for ably giving me moral support while on campus. v I" I I I i Ii [ i I l I I VI 18 , Socio-economic and cultural values ofwildlife resources I 1 I 18 I Positive values t: " 21 Ii Negative values II 23 Global growth ofenvironmental concerns III 25 Historical perspective ofwildlife conservation i I 26 I The case ofNorth America Ii 29 The African perspective 31 i, The Ghanaian perspective I 32 I, Poaching 35 Degree ofpoaching ! 36 Ii Alternative livelihood skills I I i 37 I Livelihood security i tI Indicators oflivelihood security 38 Ii., I 38 , Economic issues I 11 39 II Socio-cultural issues I Physical capital pt0vision 39 I Rural livelihoods and asset security 39 II Rural livelihood and gender empowerment 42 II jl Utilization ofresource from KCA 44 I I CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 45 The study area 45 Ii The study design 46 Ii Ii,i r viii Ii I; It .,II 47 Sources ofdata 47 Primary source 47 Secondary Source 48 Target population 49 Reconnaissance survey 49 Sampling technique 50 i Probability sampling method I 50 " Non probability sampling method 51 Data collection methods I 51 I Interview I 52 I Focus group discussion (FGD) Non participant observation 54 Data analysis 54 Conceptual framework 55 CHAPTER FOUR: LIVELIHOOD SYSTEMS AND WILDLIFE ix 70 Effects ofloss ofbiodiversity 71 How degraded forest resources could be replenished I 73 I Community support at replenishing the degraded forest 73 I Activities carried out in forest before park creation 75 I, Community attitude towards the acquisition ofthe Park 77 Conservation issues after Park creation 79 Size ofconservation area, management and conflict occurrence 81 Community participation in Park management 82 (,. Introduction ofalternative livelihood programmes 83 Benefit sharing, gender and equity 84 Focus group discussion (FGD) 85 Land ownership I 86 I Land acquisition process arrangement :,1 , . 88 Traditional conservation methods 90 II Poaching Effects ofconserVation on livelihood 91 Contribution ofconservation to environmental quality 92 Expectation from Park authorities 92 Conclusion 93 CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS AND :I RECOMMENDATIONS 94 Introduction 94 x ;, I 'I I 94 Conclusions II:, 94 [I Inadequate conservation education :1 95 :) Resource decline in fringe lands encouraging poaching in the park :j !I 96 IiI: Hunting in the Park is on ascendancy !I 96 I:,I Review ofland acquisition process and arrangement [I'I 96 t, Need for community involvement in Park management iI 97 Ij poverty levels and livelihood options II 97 Recommendations Ii 98 l! Public awareness and education support tI fl 98 ,j Reducing poaching II !I'" 99 r: 1 Introduction ofsustainable alternative livelihood I I I 99 I Benefit sharing and gender equity Strengthening cooperation with law enforcement agencies 100 Ii Ii 101 !! Further studies Ii 102 REFERENCES r 112 APPENDICES I I xi " It I i , , , LlSTOFTABLES , I, I , , Page TobIe , .' 8 J. Tourists ,"isitntion to Knkum National Park: 1992 -2002 51 2. Sample size / selection for the study I L xii 1", I ! i" I LIST OF FIGURES 1 I Page Figure 46 l. Kakum Conservation Area (KCA) 48 2. Kakum Conservation Area showing fringe communities 57 3. Analytical framework 63 4. Occupation ofrespondents 65 5. Trees commonly found before creation ofPark 67 6. Reasons for biodiversity decline 68 7. Sighting ofgame 72 8. Measures for replenishing forest 74 9. Activities before creation ofPark xiii I ABBREVIATIONS I Anno Domini (In the year ofthe Lord) I A.D ,I Community-Based Natural Resource Management CBNRM Conservation International CI Conservation ofInternational Trade in Endangered CITES Species ofFlora and Fauna Community Resource Management Area CREMA Department for International Development DFID FSD Forest Services Division Food and Agricultural Organization FAO GWS Ghana Wildlife Society HDI Human Development Index Information, Education and Communications IEC International Institute for Environmental Development lIED Kakum Conservation Area (made up ofAssin Attandanso KCA Resource Reserve and Kakum National Park MNP Mole National Park NEST Nigerian Environmental Study and Action Team NTFPs Non -Timber Forest Products NGO Non Governmental Organization PA Protected Area (s) PAMAB Protected Area Management Board UN United Nations xiv '! I ,I UniT cd NaTions Confcfcnce on Elwinml11Clll alld ONCED D:\'clorl11cnl wcs World C\,mcrv.ltion ~\\(icly World COl11mi~~ion on Environmcnt and weED Dcn.'lormcnl WD Wildlifc Dj\'j"ion xv CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Background Wildlife utilization has been a life long pre-occupation of mankind from antiquity to the present day. This preoccupation could be traced from evolution of society through the primitive society, pastoral, horticultural, industrial and post- II industrial periods, to the present day high-speed technology. Man appeared on earth about two million years ago (Shaw, 1985). I Throughout the whole period, man has had relationship with his environment in the quest for satisfying biological and physiological needs, which include food, shelter, clothing and water, using animals and plants. When he started cultivating the land, man cleared relatively limited areas that served his needs (de Klemm, 1991). The utilization of wildlife took the form of hunting wild animals and gathering fruits and other plants parts, and other renewable natural resources showing that mankind relied on hunting and gathering for their subsistence in those days. Owing to this human habit, Robertson (1987) referred to this period with the accolade Hunting and Gathering Society. During the early periods (primitive era) man had unlimited access to land, air and water, which supported his life. The population of this society was small and sparse.