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Ecosystem services trade-offs from high fuelwood use for traditional shea butter processing in semi-arid Ghana

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  • Jasaw, Godfred Seidu
  • Saito, Osamu
  • Gasparatos, Alexandros
  • Shoyama, Kikuko
  • Boafo, Yaw Agyeman
  • Takeuchi, Kazuhiko

Abstract

Traditional production of shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) butter uses large amounts of fuelwood. This study examines the effects of shea production on the environment by identifying the ecosystem service trade-offs due to the high fuelwood consumption. Fuelwood species inventories for different land use types and on-site plot-based standing biomass measured. We estimate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and changes in carbon stocks for different shea products in rural and urban settings. Results suggest that, processing of shea can cause a significant change of carbon stocks in the four study villages and result in the loss of carbon sequestration ecosystem services. For GHG emissions, rural shea butter processors emit 3.14–3.31kgCO2 eq/kg shea butter, while urban processors emit slightly less (2.29–2.54kg CO2 eq/kg shea butter). We identify trade-offs with several other provisioning (woodland products), regulating (erosion control) and cultural ecosystem services (religious and spiritual values). Such findings can initiate discussions about the hidden environmental and socioeconomic costs of current shea production practices. Potential strategies to enhance the sustainability of shea production include the adoption of improved stoves, sustainable fuelwood harvesting practices, parkland management, alternative fuels, and product pricing premiums to fund the adoption of cleaner shea processing technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Jasaw, Godfred Seidu & Saito, Osamu & Gasparatos, Alexandros & Shoyama, Kikuko & Boafo, Yaw Agyeman & Takeuchi, Kazuhiko, 2017. "Ecosystem services trade-offs from high fuelwood use for traditional shea butter processing in semi-arid Ghana," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 27(PA), pages 127-138.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoser:v:27:y:2017:i:pa:p:127-138
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.09.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wunder, Sven & Angelsen, Arild & Belcher, Brian, 2014. "Forests, Livelihoods, and Conservation: Broadening the Empirical Base," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(S1), pages 1-11.
    2. Godfred Seidu Jasaw & Osamu Saito & Kazuhiko Takeuchi, 2015. "Shea ( Vitellaria paradoxa ) Butter Production and Resource Use by Urban and Rural Processors in Northern Ghana," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-23, March.
    3. Mark Appiah & Dominic Blay & Lawrence Damnyag & Francis Dwomoh & Ari Pappinen & Olavi Luukkanen, 2009. "Dependence on forest resources and tropical deforestation in Ghana," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 11(3), pages 471-487, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Albert Novas Somanje & Geetha Mohan & Julia Lopes & Adelina Mensah & Christopher Gordon & Xin Zhou & Mustafa Moinuddin & Osamu Saito & Kazuhiko Takeuchi, 2020. "Challenges and Potential Solutions for Sustainable Urban-Rural Linkages in a Ghanaian Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-19, January.

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