American Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development
Articles Information
American Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, Vol.4, No.2, Jun. 2019, Pub. Date: Jul. 16, 2019
Poverty Remedies from the Forest; A Review of Forest Resource Utilization in Ghana
Pages: 95-100 Views: 1277 Downloads: 367
Authors
[01] Divine Odame Appiah, Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
[02] Emmanuel Kyeremeh, Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Abstract
The paper reviewed the utilization potentials of forest resources as livelihood support by poor rural communities in Ghana. Rural livelihood in forest fringe communities generally hinges on agricultural production and direct dependence on forest ecosystem services. Forest provides a wide range of products upon which rural communities depend, for their livelihoods and subsistence. Consequently, this has helped mitigate the poverty level of most rural poor in most forest fringe communities in Ghana. Relying on secondary information for in-depth analysis, relevant documents such as published policy data, journal articles, books, institutional records and official reports were collated and critically reviewed. Results indicated that rural populace in Ghana relied on forest resources as an alternatively source of their livelihood during drought, and crop failure, thereby reducing their poverty level. Rural communities relied on the forest for their nutritional benefits, building materials and fibre, medicinal value, cultural value, energy and economic benefits. It is therefore imperative that these resources are sustainably managed by Forest Commission, NGOs, and other institution which has key interest in forest utilization together with the forest fringe people, to ensure that they continue to play their role in reducing poverty in these communities.
Keywords
Forest Resources, Livelihoods, Poverty, Conservation, Ghana
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