Using Scenario Building and Participatory Mapping to Negotiate Conservation-Development Trade-Offs in Northern Ghana

Eric Rega Christophe Bayala (), Kwabena Owusu Asubonteng, Mirjam Ros-Tonen, Houria Djoudi, Freddie Sayi Siangulube, James Reed and Terry Sunderland
Additional contact information
Eric Rega Christophe Bayala: Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR), University of Amsterdam, 1018 WV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Kwabena Owusu Asubonteng: Department of Natural Resources and Geo-Information Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, University for Development Studies (UDS), Nyankpala Campus, Tamale P.O. Box TL 1882, Ghana
Mirjam Ros-Tonen: Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR), University of Amsterdam, 1018 WV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Houria Djoudi: Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor 16115, Indonesia
Freddie Sayi Siangulube: Department of Human Geography, Planning and International Development, University of Amsterdam, 1018 WV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
James Reed: Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor 16115, Indonesia
Terry Sunderland: Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor 16115, Indonesia

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-29

Abstract: In multifunctional landscapes, expanding economic activities jeopardise the integrity of biodiverse ecosystems, generating conservation-development trade-offs that require multi-stakeholder dialogue and tools to negotiate conflicting objectives. Despite the rich literature on participatory mapping and other tools to reveal different stakeholder perspectives, there is limited evidence on the application of such tools in landscape-scale negotiations. This paper addresses this gap by analysing a participatory mapping process in Ghana’s Western Wildlife Corridor, where a community-based landscape governance system called the community resource management area (CREMA) exists. Data from three participatory mapping workshops and focus group discussions with community and institutional actors reveal that increasing demand for food and natural resources and climate change impacts are drivers of landscape degradation, resulting in declining faunal and floral biodiversity and reduced ecosystem services. Meanwhile, community actors prioritise the expansion of farming land, while institutional actors prioritise forest conservation. However, scenario building and participatory mapping helped communicate each other’s aims and reach a negotiated consensus. Finally, power relations, cultural and traditional rules, and differences in knowledge affected deliberations and decision-making. We conclude that scenario building and participatory mapping can contribute to an inclusive landscape approach, provided that well-functioning multi-stakeholder platforms are in place and facilitators adequately navigate power imbalances and recognise different kinds and degrees of knowledge.

Keywords: conservation-development trade-offs; consensus-building; participatory mapping; scenario building; integrated landscape approach; community resource management area (CREMA); northern Ghana (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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