Name of the Asset | Implication of large-scale agricultural investment on biodiversity: evidence from mixed method study of farm households in northern ghana
Type of Asset | Working Paper 91
Date | August 2023
SUMMARY
The 2007–08 food crisis led to an unprecedented escalation in large-scale agricultural investment (LSAI). This led to debate among development practitioners, with some highlighting the potential benefits of LSAI and others highlighting its threats to livelihoods and environmental sustainability. This study examined LSAI and medium-scale agricultural investments’ (MSAI) impact on biodiversity in Ghana using a multiphase mixed-method design consisting of first-phase key informant interviews (KIIs), second-phase household surveys, and third-phase focus group discussions (FGDs). The KIIs showed that LSAI has both positive and negative effects on biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES), with the negative effects outweighing the positive ones. As a result, biodiversity, and ecosystem management practices (BEMPs) are employed to enhance biodiversity and ES. The survey, however, showed that biodiversity is rather lost under MSAI but increased under LSAI. In addition, ES and BEMPs’ adoption is enhanced under MSAI but not under LSAI. The FGDs revealed that LSAI investors possess knowledge of biodiversity and ecosystem protection and have not significantly destroyed vegetation. Second, agrarian relations between MSAI’s investors and local farmers enhance ES under MSAI. Third, unemployment from MSAI and LSAI creates a gap between local farmers and investors, leading to diminished ES.
AUTHORS
- Abdul-Hanan Abdallah (Ph.D.), Department of Agricultural and Food Economics, University for Development Studies
- Thomas S. Jayne, University Foundation Professor Emeritus, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Michigan State University
Country and/or Region | Ghana
Funder(s) | This publication has been supported by the Global Development Network (GDN) and the Ministry of Finance, Government of Japan.
Name of the Program | Implication of large-scale agricultural investment on biodiversity: evidence from mixed method study of farm households in northern ghana
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