Ecosystem Management in Large-scale Irrigation Landscapes in Northern Ghana

Abstract

The concept of ecosystem and ecosystem management services has given rise to different definitions and classifications. Ecosystem may be defined as a natural unit of living things and their physical environment. Ecosystem concept shows the relationship of biodiversity and ecosystems and the benefits are the services enjoyed by humans. In the past, ecosystem resources were used by multiple groups and individuals across sub-Sahara for variety of purposes, sustaining agrarian livelihood through the use of customary laws and traditional social structures. After the Ghana’s 1992 amended constitution, lands in large-scale irrigation in the northern Ghana were returned to the traditional custodians. The study seeks to establish the current role of traditional custodians’ management of ecosystem in irrigation landscapes.  The study was conducted in the Tono and Bontanga irrigation landscapes in Northern Ghana using participatory impact assessment methods. Despite the return of lands in irrigated landscapes, formal links and relationships are broken and little is done to amend the situation. Also, there is no clear understanding of the natural resources ownership and management and therefore transition from traditional subsistence agriculture into modern one, supported by irrigation and other technically advanced methods, with a full participation of the small-holder farmers are still lacking.