1. (ampofo16693@alumni.itc.nl)
ENV 233: INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Steve Ampofo
Department of Earth & Environmental Science
Faculty of Applied Sciences
Navrongo Campus

2. OBJECTIVES FOR THE COURSE
Provide understanding of the term natural resources.
Introduction to types and forms of natural resources
Understanding the benefits accruing from efficient utilisation of resources
Concepts in natural resources management
Challenges to natural resources management in Africa.

3. DEFINITION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
A natural resource is any material found on and in the earth that is available for human use.
Natural resources offer useful benefits helping meet basic human needs such as;
Food
Water
Clothing
Shelter
Air

4. DEFINITION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
The process of natural resource utilisation involves;
Exploration (Primary activity)
Extraction/exploitation (Primary activity)
Industrial Processing into goods (Secondary activity)
Distribution (Tertiary activity)
End-user benefits (Tertiary activity)

5. DEFINITION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
The efficient utilisation of natural resources offers economic benefits such as;
Employment
Income to the individual and community
Foreign exchange to the state
Increased agricultural output
Increased industrial output

6. DEFINITION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Difference between a resource and reserve
“The term Resource includes all known deposits and those that may be inferred to exist but have not yet been discovered either locally or worldwide.”
“ A Reserve includes all proven resources from which the mineral or fuel can be extracted profitably with existing technology”
(Hoffer, R. L. (1995). Physical Geology. Pennsylvania: Sprinhouse Corporation)

7. NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
This refers to the study and application of analytical techniques to aid in choosing those management alternatives that contributes most to achieving;
Satisfaction of human needs
Low environmental cost
Sustainable resources use

8. NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
It integrates all of the environmental, social,
economic and the other factors that affect management decisions about the natural resources.

9. NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT