Browsing by Author "Sarfo-Mensah Paul"

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    Active Role of Stakeholders in the Implementation of Comprehensive Rural Development Programme in South Africa
    (Springer, 2020) OBADIRE O. S.; MUDAU M. J.; Sarfo-Mensah Paul; ZUWARIMWE J.
    The Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) is a national collective action to fight poverty, hunger, unemployment and lack of development in rural areas.This paper seeks to interrogate the programme by using literature on rural development. This is aimed at unpacking the conceptual framework as it is being implemented by the government. Our trajectory is to assess the extent to which stakeholder analysis has informed the conception of the programme. This will help to discover gaps if any, and to proffer possible solutions to the effective participation of all key stakeholders in the implementation of the programme.The programme is a targeted effort by the national government to transform the village into an urban town with major infrastructure and development programmes. It seeks to achieve this through a co-ordinated and integrated broad-based agrarian transformation as well as strategic investment in economic and social infrastructure that will benefit the entire rural communities.
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    Assessing Ghana’s initiative of increasing domestic rice production through the development of rice value chain
    (Global Sciences Research Reports, 2015) Addison Monica; Sarfo-Mensah Paul; Edusah E. S.; 0000-0003-1873-9084
    This paper sought to contribute to the on-going discussion on improving rice production in Ghana. The objective of the study was to analyse the effect of rice value chain development initiative on domestic rice production in the Ahafo Ano North district of Ghana. Primary data for the study gathered through focus group discussions and key informant interviews was complemented by desk studies. The main finding was that the rice value chain was not formalized in the district, although informal types existed. The study also showed that domestic rice producers had achieved regular annual increases due to informal rice value chains. Nevertheless, there was lack of competitiveness of domestic rice vis-à-vis imported rice due to the poor quality of milling. Therefore, the study recommended: (i) adopting sectorwide value chain strategies that would enhance development of formal rice value chain and competitiveness of local rice industry; and (ii) investing in post-harvest product-quality infrastructure to ensure product quality.
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    Assessing Ghana’s initiative of increasing domestic rice production through the development of rice value chain
    (Global Science Research Jounals, 2015) Addison Monica; Sarfo-Mensah Paul; Edusah E. S.; 0000-0003-1873-9084
    This paper sought to contribute to the on-going discussion on improving rice production in Ghana. The objective of the study was to analyse the effect of rice value chain development initiative on domestic rice production in the Ahafo Ano North district of Ghana. Primary data for the study gathered through focus group discussions and key informant interviews was complemented by desk studies. The main finding was that the rice value chain was not formalized in the district, although informal types existed. The study also showed that domestic rice producers had achieved regular annual increases due to informal rice value chains. Nevertheless, there was lack of competitiveness of domestic rice vis-à-vis imported rice due to the poor quality of milling. Therefore, the study recommended: (i) adopting sectorwide value chain strategies that would enhance development of formal rice value chain and competitiveness of local rice industry; and (ii) investing in post-harvest product-quality infrastructure to ensure product quality.
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    Ensuring Equitable Distribution Of Land In Ghana: Spirituality Or Policy? A Case Study From The Forest-Savanna Agroecological Zone Of Ghana
    (The International Indigenous Policy Journals, 2011) Awuah-Nyamekye Samuel; Sarfo-Mensah Paul
    This article explores the pent-up question of equitable distribution of land in Ghana using the Forest-Savanna Agroecological Zone as a case study. It focuses on the dichotomy of policy versus indigenous spirituality in contemporary distribution of land in Ghana. After independence several attempts have been made to restructure land title holding in Ghana by way of land registration. The effectiveness of these attempts is also examined. The paper concludes that Ghana needs pragmatic steps (policies) to confront the challenges of land distribution. And in taking these pragmatic policies, the religio-cultural underpinnings (the people`s worldview) of land issues in Ghana should be factored into the policy that will result. Anything short of this will make the implementation of any land policy in Ghana ineffective.
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    Gender Constraints and Rice Varietal Characteristics Preferences in Lowland Rice Ecosystem in Ghana
    (IISTE, 2014) Addison Monica; Edusah E. S.; Sarfo-Mensah Paul
    This study examined the constraints and differences in varietal preferences for male and female rice farmers in lowland rice ecosystem in Ashanti Region of Ghana. Successful development interventions such as dissemination of improved rice varieties are, by their nature, transformative but paying attention to gender constraints and varietal preferences will always make them more effective. Yet, these issues are not adequately documented and analyzed in adoption studies. A total sample size of seventy (70) rice farmers was randomly selected for an in-depth individual interview, using structured questionnaires. Analytical tools used were mainly descriptive and statistical methods. The results indicate that gender constraints are influenced by gender roles. The male constraints are lack of credit to expand cultivation, land preparation, bird scaring, land availability and weeding, whilst their female counterparts are credited to expand cultivation, bird scaring, weeding, labour availability and land preparation. Furthermore, the varietal preferences of males are marketability, good taste, good cooking quality, medium plant height and good aroma, whilst good taste, early maturity, high yield, high tillering ability and marketability loom very large in females’ choice of rice varieties characteristics. The paper concludes that Ghana needs to review her rice breeding policies to confront the challenge of low adoption of improved rice varieties, and in doing this gender constraints and preferences for varietal characteristics should be factored into breeding.
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    Gender Constraints and Rice Varietal Characteristics Preferences in Lowland Rice Ecosystem in Ghana
    (IISTE, 2014) Addison Monica; Edusah E. S.; Sarfo-Mensah Paul
    This study examined the constraints and differences in varietal preferences for male and female rice farmers in lowland rice ecosystem in Ashanti Region of Ghana. Successful development interventions such as dissemination of improved rice varieties are, by their nature, transformative but paying attention to gender constraints and varietal preferences will always make them more effective. Yet, these issues are not adequately documented and analyzed in adoption studies. A total sample size of seventy (70) rice farmers was randomly selected for an in-depth individual interview, using structured questionnaires. Analytical tools used were mainly descriptive and statistical methods. The results indicate that gender constraints are influenced by gender roles. The male constraints are lack of credit to expand cultivation, land preparation, bird scaring, land availability and weeding, whilst their female counterparts are credited to expand cultivation, bird scaring, weeding, labour availability and land preparation. Furthermore, the varietal preferences of males are marketability, good taste, good cooking quality, medium plant height and good aroma, whilst good taste, early maturity, high yield, high tillering ability and marketability loom very large in females’ choice of rice varieties characteristics. The paper concludes that Ghana needs to review her rice breeding policies to confront the challenge of low adoption of improved rice varieties, and in doing this gender constraints and preferences for varietal characteristics should be factored into breeding.
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    HE IMPACT OF SAVINGS GROUPS ON FEMALE AGENCY: INSIGHTS FROM VILLAGE SAVINGS AND LOANS ASSOCIATIONS IN NORTHERN GHANA
    (Springer, 2019) Kwarteng Amaning Theophilus; Sarfo-Mensah Paul
    In this paper we examined how participation in savings groups like the Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) influence women’s agency in rural Ghana, i.e. their ability to freely participate in group activities and act on other issues and matters that affect them. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from VSLA and nonVSLA members to compare the effect between participants and nonparticipants. We used three dimensions of agency adapted from the Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) to assess female agency: women’s participation and decision making in groups; women’s comfort with public speaking; and women’s decision making in their households. A significant finding of this study is that VSLA membership has enhanced the agency of female participants as they are more economically and socially active and can act on their own compared to women who did not use the savings group.
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    Impact of Aboriginal Belief Systems on Natural Resources Management: Mount Cameroon National Park (MCNP)
    (IISTE, 2016) Oduro William; Ngoni Augustine Monono; Sarfo-Mensah Paul
    Limited research exist on the effect of beliefs systems on management of the natural resources especially in Africa. Past decades has experienced efforts made by NGOs, IGOs, Aboriginal people and government to facilitate an effective mechanism to collaboratively manage the forest resources. Nonetheless, a biodiversity hotspot is still being threatened and the collaborative management is ‘pretentious’ in MCNP. This research argues that, unless the complexities and dynamics of the belief and indigenous knowledge are understood and the incorporated into management of natural resources management, collaborative and sustainable management is impractical on MCNP. Sample selection was done using EpiInfo 6.04d (CDC, 2001). We use survey of 238 household randomly selected from 14 of the 41 villages in MCNP (487 questionnaires), focused group discussions, key informant interviews and participant observations were used to collect data. Secondary data was obtained from the Ministry of forestry and Wildlife and also from park management. We find significant evidence (67%) that native beliefs which affect resource management exist in all the four clusters in MCNP. The rural area of Bomboko cluster are more prominent in practicing beliefs 78.3% followed by the Buea cluster with 62.5%. Only 18.5% confirmed that management observed beliefs. A majority of the people (89.5%) perceived that degradation of natural resources is as a result of disregard of native beliefs. Traditional forest conservation was practiced in areas that have traditional beliefs associated with forest resources P<0.001. Spearman’s Rho showed significant relationship between perceived traditional importance of forest and perceived importance of collaborative forest management. Focused group discussions disclosed dissatisfaction in management especially from the hunters and also exposed a momentous decline in the use of the bakweri language which has caused the erosion of culture and indigenous knowledge. We recommend empowerment of local people and integration of cultural beliefs and indigenous knowledge as well as active involvement of the aboriginal people in management and decision making of natural resources in MCNP.
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    IMPACT OF ETHNO-CULTURAL FACTORS AND LAND TENURE ON LAND USE AND LAND USE PLANNING
    (EOLSS, 2009) Sarfo-Mensah Paul
    One of the major underlying forces in natural resources management, worldwide, is the system of tenurial arrangements which define entitlements and usufructural rights to land and other natural resources. In contemporary studies on sustainable natural resources management, land acquisition and land titles have received major attention. It is argued that in countries and societies where land tenure systems have not evolved properly to accommodate changes in agriculture, industry and the provision of services, the growth and development of such economies have stagnated.
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    Marketability and sustainability of food security programmes : products and productivity of agricultural projects
    (South African Journal Of Agricultural Extension, 2012) Mwale M.; Sarfo-Mensah Paul; Netshandama O. V.; Mudau M. J.; Zwane M. E.
    This paper addresses the marketability and sustainability of food security programmes in Limpopo Province. Food security features prominently because poverty and inequality remains a huge challenge in South Africa’s rural sector. Thus the Government has initiated the establishment of agricultural community projects as part of interventions for creating jobs and improving income levels. However, lack of monitoring mechanisms in established projects create a challenge of nonsustainability of these projects. The study has used formative evaluation approach to determine the effectiveness of the established food security programme. A mixed model approach was used to collect data from key informants and project members. Descriptive statistics were computed using SPSS. Most projects were on vegetable, poultry and piggery production. The study has found that 64.1% of the respondents reported that access to inputs was not a challenge. Project products are sold to community members who accounted to 79%, and few (1%) to individuals owning business, clinics and outside the community. Project members advertised their produce mainly verbally (47.2%). Marketing strategies for project products were lacking and this creates a negative impact on income generated and sustainability of projects. The paper concludes by suggesting that project members should be advised on appropriate marketing strategies.
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    The Role of Bakweri Traditional Beliefs in the Management of Mount Cameroon National Park
    (IISTE, 2016) Monono Ngoni Augustine; Oduro William; Sarfo-Mensah Paul; Nana Celestin
    The sustainability of Parks are threatened because traditional beliefs are not enshrined in the management processes. Despite efforts made by many researchers to demonstrate the significance of these traditional beliefs in Africa, the traditional beliefs are side-lined in resources management. This research investigated the situation in Mount Cameroon National Park (MCNP), where natural resources management has been challenging despite numerous management strategies. MCNP is the home or ‘chariot of gods’ of the gods of Bakweri clan ‘Ihvarza Mote’ the practice of traditional beliefs has declined and so have the natural resources. We surveyed 228households and randomly selected 14 from the 41 villages in MCNP. Four hundred and eighty seven (487) questionnaires were administered (minimum of 30 per village). Focused Group Discussions (FGD), key informant interviews and participant observations were used as study instruments. Secondary data was obtained from the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife and also from Park management. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, multiple response analysis (MRA) to compute aggregate score within conceptual components. We found significant evidence P<0.05 that there are traditional beliefs in the gods of Mount Cameroon ‘Ihvarza Mote’ which affect natural resource management in all the four clusters in MCNP. Majority of the respondents (89.5%) perceived that degradation of natural resources was due to disregard of traditional beliefs. Chi square indicated significant association (P<0.001) that traditional forest conservation was practiced in areas that have traditional beliefs associated with forest resources. Spearman’s Rho elucidates significant (P<0.05) relationship between perceived traditional importance of forest and perceived importance of collaborative forest management. Focused group discussions disclosed dissatisfaction in management strategies especially from hunters. There has been a momentous decline in the use of the Bakweri culture which has caused erosion of culture and indigenous knowledge. We conclude that the non-enshrinement of the traditional beliefs has caused degradation of natural resources, unsustainable livelihood; non-compliance of regulations and poor participation in collaborative natural resource. We recommend enshrinement of traditional beliefs, empowerment and involvement of local people in decision making processes in MCNP. There is a need for an in-depth study of traditional beliefs and culture to inform policy makers and management in resources conservation worldwide.