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The Effects of Biofuel Feedstock Production on Farmers’ Livelihoods in Ghana: The Case of Jatropha curcas

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  • Emmanuel Acheampong

    (Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST-Kumasi, Ghana)

  • Benjamin Betey Campion

    (Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST-Kumasi, Ghana)

Abstract

The widespread acquisition of land for large-scale/commercial production of biofuel crops in Ghana has raised concerns from civil society organizations, local communities and other parties, regarding the impact of these investments on local livelihoods. This paper assessed the effect of large-scale acquisition of land for production of Jatropha curcas on farmers’ livelihoods in Ghana. The study was conducted in 11 communities spanning the major agro-ecological zones and political divisions across Ghana. Methods of data collection included questionnaire survey, interviews and focus group discussions. Results show that several households have lost their land to Jatropha plantations leading, in some cases, to violent conflicts between biofuel investors, traditional authorities and the local communities. Most people reported that, contrary to the belief that Jatropha does well on marginal lands, the lands acquired by the Jatropha Companies were productive lands. Loss of rights over land has affected households’ food production and security, as many households have resorted to reducing the area they have under cultivation, leading to shortening fallow periods and declining crop yields. In addition, although the cultivation of Jatropha led to the creation of jobs in the communities where they were started, such jobs were merely transient. The paper contends that, even though the impact of Jatropha feedstock production on local livelihoods in Ghana is largely negative, the burgeoning industry could be developed in ways that could support local livelihoods.

Suggested Citation

  • Emmanuel Acheampong & Benjamin Betey Campion, 2014. "The Effects of Biofuel Feedstock Production on Farmers’ Livelihoods in Ghana: The Case of Jatropha curcas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(7), pages 1-21, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:6:y:2014:i:7:p:4587-4607:d:38430
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kasanga, R. Kasim & Cochrane, Jeffrey A. & King, Rudith & Roth, Michael J., 1996. "Land Markets And Legal Contradictions In The Peri-Urban Area Of Accra Ghana: Informant Interviews And Secondary Data Investigations," Research Papers 12747, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Land Tenure Center.
    2. Agbosu, Lennox Kwame, 2000. "Land Law In Ghana: Contradition Between Anglo-American And Customary Conceptions Of Tenure And Practices," Working Papers 12796, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Land Tenure Center.
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    Cited by:

    1. Dorothée Boccanfuso & Massa Coulibaly & Luc Savard & Govinda Timilsina, 2018. "Macroeconomic and Distributional Impacts of Jatropha Based Biodiesel in Mali," Economies, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-22, November.
    2. Gasparatos, A. & Mudombi, S. & Balde, B.S. & von Maltitz, G.P. & Johnson, F.X. & Romeu-Dalmau, C. & Jumbe, C. & Ochieng, C. & Luhanga, D. & Nyambane, A. & Rossignoli, C. & Jarzebski, M.P. & Dam Lam, R, 2022. "Local food security impacts of biofuel crop production in southern Africa," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    3. Ahmed, Abubakari & Gasparatos, Alexandros, 2020. "Multi-dimensional energy poverty patterns around industrial crop projects in Ghana: Enhancing the energy poverty alleviation potential of rural development strategies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    4. Ahmed, Abubakari, 2021. "Biofuel feedstock plantations closure and land abandonment in Ghana: New directions for land studies in Sub-Saharan Africa," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    5. Kirst, Sarah, 2017. "Chiefs do not talk law, most of them talk power: Die Macht traditioneller Autoritäten in Konflikten um 'land grabbing' in Ghana," GLOCON Working Paper Series 5, Freie Universität Berlin, Junior Research Group "Global Change – Local Conflicts?" (GLOCON).
    6. Hunsberger, Carol & German, Laura & Goetz, Ariane, 2017. "“Unbundling” the biofuel promise: Querying the ability of liquid biofuels to deliver on socio-economic policy expectations," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 791-805.
    7. Yuh Jin Bae, 2023. "Analyzing the Connection between Customary Land Rights and Land Grabbing: A Case Study of Zambia," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-22, January.
    8. Ahmed, Abubakari & Kuusaana, Elias Danyi & Gasparatos, Alexandros, 2018. "The role of chiefs in large-scale land acquisitions for jatropha production in Ghana: insights from agrarian political economy," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 570-582.
    9. Bukari, Kaderi Noagah & Kuusaana, Elias Danyi, 2018. "Impacts of large-scale land holdings on Fulani pastoralists’ in the Agogo Traditional Area of Ghana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 748-758.
    10. Abubakari, Mohammed & Twum, Kwaku Owusu & Asokwah, Gertrude Amissah, 2020. "From conflict to cooperation: The trajectories of large scale land investments on land conflict reversal in Ghana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    11. Mabe, Franklin N. & Nashiru, Sulemena & Mummuni, Eliasu & Boateng, Vivian F., 2019. "The nexus between land acquisition and household livelihoods in the Northern region of Ghana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 357-367.
    12. Festus Boamah & Ragnhild Overå, 2016. "Rethinking Livelihood Impacts of Biofuel Land Deals in Ghana," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 47(1), pages 98-129, January.
    13. Jha, Priyanka & Schmidt, Stefan, 2021. "State of biofuel development in sub-Saharan Africa: How far sustainable?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    14. Christine Bosch & Manfred Zeller, 2019. "Large-scale biofuel production and food security of smallholders: Evidence from Jatropha in Madagascar," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 11(2), pages 431-445, April.
    15. Gasparatos, A. & von Maltitz, G.P. & Johnson, F.X. & Lee, L. & Mathai, M. & Puppim de Oliveira, J.A. & Willis, K.J., 2015. "Biofuels in sub-Sahara Africa: Drivers, impacts and priority policy areas," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 879-901.
    16. Bottazzi, Patrick & Crespo, David & Bangura, Leonard Omar & Rist, Stephan, 2018. "Evaluating the livelihood impacts of a large-scale agricultural investment: Lessons from the case of a biofuel production company in northern Sierra Leone," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 128-137.
    17. Ayambire, Raphael Anammasiya & Amponsah, Owusu & Peprah, Charles & Takyi, Stephen Appiah, 2019. "A review of practices for sustaining urban and peri-urban agriculture: Implications for land use planning in rapidly urbanising Ghanaian cities," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 260-277.
    18. Richmond Antwi-Bediako & Kei Otsuki & Annelies Zoomers & Aklilu Amsalu, 2019. "Global Investment Failures and Transformations: A Review of Hyped Jatropha Spaces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-23, June.
    19. Ahmed, Abubakari & Campion, Benjamin Betey & Gasparatos, Alexandros, 2017. "Biofuel development in Ghana: policies of expansion and drivers of failure in the jatropha sector," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 133-149.
    20. Michael Acheampong & Qiuyan Yu & Funda Cansu Ertem & Lucy Deba Enomah Ebude & Shakhawat Tanim & Michael Eduful & Mehrdad Vaziri & Erick Ananga, 2019. "Is Ghana Ready to Attain Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Number 7?—A Comprehensive Assessment of Its Renewable Energy Potential and Pitfalls," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-40, January.
    21. Renzaho, Andre M.N. & Kamara, Joseph K. & Toole, Michael, 2017. "Biofuel production and its impact on food security in low and middle income countries: Implications for the post-2015 sustainable development goals," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 503-516.

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