Contestations, counteractions and equitable conservation – a case study of Ghana's Krokosua Hills Forest Reserve

Eric Mensah Kumeh

Forest Policy and Economics, 2023, vol. 157, issue C

Abstract: This paper delves into the intricate dynamics of forest conservation conflict in rural Ghana, where state-led conservation efforts through forest reserves have met fierce counteractions from local communities within and around the Krokosua Hills Forest Reserve. The study adopts a critical postcolonial institutional framework to examine the historical struggles that have shaped conservation policies in the country and subsequent contestations by forest-fringe communities (FFCs) seeking to use forest reserves for agricultural purposes. It dwells on archival materials, participant observation and interviews with farmers, local chiefs and forestry officials. The paper highlights the multifaceted strategies employed by these communities to assert their right to produce food within the forest reserve, leading to clashes with forestry authorities. By employing a critical postcolonial lens, the paper sheds light on the complex power relations and the historical legacies that underpin this conservation conflict, ultimately providing valuable insights for navigating sustainable and inclusive conservation approaches that respect the rights and local priorities of dispossessed, marginalised FFCs.

Keywords: Social-ecological conflicts; Colonial land grabs; Rural development; Food security corridors (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)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389934123001855
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:forpol:v:157:y:2023:i:c:s1389934123001855

DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2023.103090

Access Statistics for this article

Forest Policy and Economics is currently edited by M. Krott

More articles in Forest Policy and Economics from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().