The nontraditional agricultural exports programme and environmental management - a case of pineapple production in the Akwapim South District

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Date
1999-03-08
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Majority of the people in the Akwapim South district live in the rural areas with agriculture being the main occupation. Pineapples used to be one of the traditionally produced crops for local consumption by the farmers. However, due to the government’s active promotion of NonTraditional Agricultural Exports (NTAE) particularly since 1983 as part the Economic Recovery Programme (ERP), available records indicate that about 77% of all farmers in the district have switched to production of pineapples for exports. Foreign exchange earnings through the exports of NTAE in general, and pineapple in particular, has been imniense, which shows a clear evidence of the potential of pineapple exports in the country. However, it is not certain whether the pineapple export programme could be sustainable since the programme has been associated with degrading soils. For continued realization of this potential, it is imperative that increased attention is given to programme impacts on the environment as a rational basis for its effective management. This study, therefore aimed at examining the farming practices and techniques adopted by pineapple farmers, and also analyse their effects on the environment, to be able to recommend measures to ensure its sustainability. A field survey was conducted in the Akuapem South District among 110 farming households and selected institutions. The analysis of the study revealed that, there has been actual and potential soil degradation in pineapple growing areas in the district. Even though pineapple production under the NTAE programmes exhibit positive signs of growth, this has been done at the expense of the physical environment. This is because the conservation of the physical environment as means to ensure sustainabiity of the programme, has not been given the necessary attention. This was found out to be due to low priority farmers place on environmental management practices, as well as institutional bottlenecks. Based on these findings, the study recommended the following strategic framework as means o safeguard the environment from iurthet deterioration: • Policy and Institution Reforms • Mitigative Actions, and • Developing Effective Monitoring Mechanism. The study concluded on the note that, pineapple production, if done on a sustainable manner, will continue to play a significant role in the economic development of Ghana.
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A thesis submitted to the Board of Postgraduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the Degree of Master of Science in Development Planning and Managenment, 1999
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