1. Divine Odame Appiah and Isaac Anokye Boateng Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi GHANA GEOGRAPHICAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE 2011 UNIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES, WA CAMPUS 3 RD TO 6 TH August, 2011

2.  Introduction  Problem in context  Profile of study area  Methodology  Results and discussions  Conclusions  Recommendation

3.  Woodfuel is fuel obtained: wood or tree species such as timber, shrubs etc. which may be available as firewood, logs, pallets, charcoal and many others (Ireland et al, 2009)  Globally, >65% of total woodfuel consumption is accounted for by Asia and Africa (UNDP, 2000).  Extraction of woodfuel in developing regions like Africa is among key factors of tropical deforestation due to woodfuel demand for household and commercial use

4.  Mensah and Agyare (1994) similarly expressed that the energy needs of Ghana like that of many developing countries are heavily dependent on woodfuel.  The demand for woodfuel for both commercial and household use has contributed to over exploitation of the forest and the environment as well  We examined the effects of woodfuel extraction on forest ecology and the environment in the Ejura-Sekyedumase District.

5.  Fifty-three (53%) of the farmers are also engaged in woodfuel production on commercial and subsistence basis.  Excessive extraction of wood for fuelwood and also charcoal production together =>deleterious effects on vegetation and climate  Methods of farming :slash and burn; bush fires == original vegetation, replaced by secondary vegetation.

6.  With increasing population, the pressure on wood resources and rate of deforestation is alarming (Basel, 2008; Nabuura et al., 2007).  Kaser et al., (2004) argue that the link between deforestation and aridity due to atmospheric warming.  Is well documented (Idso, & Kimball, 1994; Houghton, & Hackler, 2002 and Pinter et al, 1996)

7.  With DCECC…the earth system could eventually pass a critical threshold beyond which life forms might not be able to survive.  Threat to MDG 7, target 2 reducing loss of Biodiversity  The concern is…green-house effect is highlighted as a result of intensive ‘charcoaling’ which releases carbon-dioxide into the atmosphere.  Howden (2007) supports with the idea that excessive cutting of trees from forest areas leads to deforestation

8.  There has been broad consensus that the approach “reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation” (REDD), should be a prominent feature of any international climate change agreement that extends or replaces the Kyoto Protocol in 2012.  However, progress has been much slower than anticipated

9.  The Bali Action Plan agreed at the 2007 UNFCCC conference endorsed the vision of an environment in which the forests have greater value standing than cut down.  It initiated studies into “positive incentives” for developing countries – the provision of financial compensation in return for measurable reduction in deforestation.

10.  Carved out of the then Sekyere and Offinso districts.  It is location: Long. 1˚5W and 1˚39’ W and Lat. 7˚9’ N and 7˚36’N. Northern part of Ashanti Region  Bounded to the: ◦ North by Nkoranza and Atebubu districts (both in Brong Ahafo Region), ◦ West by Offinso district, ◦ East by Sekyere East district and ◦ South by Afigya-Sekyere district.

11.  It has a large land size of about 1,782.2 sq. km and is 7.3% of the region’s total land area  The fifth largest among the districts in Ashanti Region.  Ejura is considered as the district capital.  Vegetation is in transitional zone of the semi- deciduous forest and Guinea savanna zones  Average Annual rainfall is 1,300mm  Relative humidity is 75%-80%

13.  Both quantitative and qualitative research design, used primary data and secondary info.  Sampling design: ◦ Probability simple random technique for 10/170 Adiembra, Ebuom Bayere, Nkwanta, Homako, Nyamebekyere, Ejura, ◦ Babaso, Kyenkyenkura, Sekyedumase and Doku Akuraa. ◦ 150 household respondents of different socio- economic background, and purposively biased towards charcoal producers out of a popx of 81,115  Survey instruments: ◦ Partially Pre-Coded HH Questionnaire, ◦ Key Informants Interviews with ESDA, FSD & EPA

14. Underlying/Indirect causes  Rapid Population growth  Poverty  Demand for fuelwood Deforestation in Ejura- Sekyedumase Immediate/Direct Causes  Timber production  Agricultural activities  Woodfuel Production  Bush Fires Socio-economic effects  Low agric production and food  Shortage of drinking water  Loss of medicinal plants  Diseases Ecological effects  Climate Change  Drying up of water bodies  Soil erosion and silting  Biodiversity loss

15.  Sources of energy for household/commercial uses: 53.3% use firewood, 44.7% use charcoal, 2% (3) use Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).  These constituted main sources of energy for cooking and heating purposes in the area.  Reason for choice of source : ◦ 78% wood is very affordable and easily available,  It may be cheap now, but continuous use would prove expensive in the long run

16.  Sources of Wood for Fuelwood and Charcoal Production.

17.  Scientific Name Local Name Number of respondents Per cent (%) Anogeissus Leiocarpus Kane2516.67 Erythropleum invoreise Potrodom149.33 Terminalia aviceniodes Ongo3020 Afzelia AfricanaPapao128 Khaya sppMahogany2214.67 Mangifera indicaMango tree1711.33 Albizia julibrissinAcacia tree138.67 Triplochiton scleroxylon Wawa1711.33 TOTAL 150100

18.  Relationship b/n Deforestation and carbon- dioxide emission climate change SINK- SOURCE  Deforestations and carbon emission has several other environmental consequences  Sought to also find out perception of effects of deforestation on environment

21.  As a charcoal producing area, Al Gore (2006) emphasizes that almost 30% of the carbon- dioxide released into the atmosphere each year is a result of ◦ burning of bush land for subsistence agriculture and ◦ woodfuel used for cooking; including Charcoal.  Accordingly, Howden, 2007 explains that carbon emissions from deforestation far outstrip damage caused by planes and automobiles and factories.

25.  With the effort to get employed, generate income to supplement agriculture, woodfuel extraction  Several problems to the forest and the local environment. Carbon emissions, Soil erosion, deforestation, and bush fires  Considered as the main effects on the forest environment and consequently on global warming and climate change in Ejura- Sekyedumase district.

26.  Wood for fuel was mainly from the fallow lands (farmlands), off-forest resources and the forest resources.  Woodfuel extraction were in the hands of most rural populace found in the district of Ejura-Sekyedumase.

27.  DAs in partnership with Academia should disseminated knowledge on climate change in the district  FC, through appropriate dept (FSD) should promote REDD with FORIG; TROPENBOS etc.  NGOs and the Assembly should provide alternative livelihoods to agriculture that would reduce considerably charcoal prodn.  Further research on quantities of Carbon emissions and rates of deforestation is recommended

28.  Al Gore, 2005. An inconvenient truth: the planetary emergency of global warming and what we can do about it, Rodale books, 2006.  FAO (2006), Global forest Resource Assessment (2005), FAO forestry papers 147 and 140, Rome.  Howden, D. (2007) Deforestation: The hidden causes of global warming, U.K  Ireland, D., Andy, H., and David H. J (2009): Forest Research (Woodfuel Information Pack), U.K.