IMPLICATION OF LARGE-SCALE AGRICULTURAL INVESTMENT ON BIODIVERSITY: EVIDENCE
FROM MIXED METHOD STUDY OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS IN NORTHERN GHANA
Abdul-Hanan Abdallah & Karim Abdullah
University for Development Studies,
Faculty of Agriculture, Food And Consumer Sciences
JAPANESE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING RESEARCH ON DEVELOPMENT 2021
THEME: INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND BIODIVERSITY
Outline of Presentation
OCTOBER
25-2021
Introduction
Problem statement
Research objectives
Literature review
Research Methodology
Study's Contribution
Policy implications
INTRODUCTION (1/2)
Large-scale agricultural investment (LSAI) is central part of international trade (e.g., Hules & Singh,
2017).
* exchange of goods between countries.
* export of food and energy between countries
* strengthen bilateral ties.
Effect of LSAI on society, biodiversity and associated ecosystem services (FAO, 2018).
SOCIETAL
UNREST:
Protestations
Demonstrations
FOREST
DESTRUCTION
AIR POLLUTION
WATER POLLUTION
INTRODUCTION (2/2)
However, information on the implications of LSAI on biodiversity is scanty.
Facts:
New varieties reduces genetic diversity (Mbaya, 2015).
LSAI causes 40% of forest conversion
in the tropics and subtropics (FAO,
2018).
Destructed forest
It is against this background that this study is conducted to investigate the
effects of LSAI on biodiversity
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Biodiversity is critical for food security (FAO, 2018). This implies any issue concerning
biodiversity will affect development.
One such issue is large-scale agricultural investment (LSAI).
This generated mix concerns among development practitioners (e.g., Anseeuw et al., 2012;
Deininger et al., 2011).
What information is available?
* LSAI and household livelihoods (Boamah & Overa, 2015; Santangelo, 2018; Shete & Rutten,
2015).
What information is unavailable?
* Questions regarding how LSAI impact on biodiversity are not answered.
* Mixed methods design is not employed
This study seeks to explore questions on the implications of LSAI on biodiversity using mixed
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Specifically, the study explore questions relating to the following
objectives:
1. identify the processes in land acquisition, the size and actors involved in
LSAI
in northern Ghana
2. analyse the impact of LSAI on species richness and evenness/diversity in
northern Ghana
3. analyse the implications of LSAI on access to ecosystem services and
biodiversity management practices in northern Ghana
STATE OF THE ART (LITERATURE REVIEW)
Generally, two narratives carry the debate on the implications of LSAI on
households:
1. Neo-colonialism narrative oppose LSAI because:
it is land grabbing
it has negative impacts on livelihoods and environment (e.g., Deininger et al.,
2011)
2. Development optimism narrative promote LSAI because:
it can benefit all parties investors, host governments and their populations
it is large-scale land acquisition,
(e.g., GRAIN, 2008)
or foreign direct investment (FDI) in land
1/2
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: STUDY AREA
The research will be conducted in northern
Ghana.
* Land area: 70,384 km square (MoFA, 2013).
* Two systems of land management.
Examples of LSAI in northern Ghana:
* Biofuel Africa Limited: 23,762 ha
* Integrated Tamale Fruit Company: 568 ha
* AVNASH processing company: over 60 ha
* Integrated Water Management and
Agricultural Development : 400 ha
Fig 1: Map of the study area
Research Design: Multiphase Mixed Method Design
01 KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS
Purpose : Questions for the household survey
Sample participants: 2-10 Officials from Ministry
of Food and Agriculture, Regional Lands
Commission and Forestry Commission, Ghana
Commercial Agricultural Project, Traditional
authorities and farmer leaders.
Data collection: Key informant interviews with
Interview guide, Digital Voice Recorder &
notebook
Data analysis: Edited, transcribed, coded &
analysed with descriptive statistics.
Results/Products: Coded themes, frequencies &
percentages
02
HOUSEHOLD SURVEY
03
2/2
FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS
Purpose: Broad picture of the
implications of LSAI on biodiversity.
Sample participants : 1000
agricultural households from 240,238
agricultural households in Northern
Ghana.
Data collection: Household survey
with semi-structured questionnaire in
Kobo toolbox.
Data analysis: Edited & analysed with
descriptive statistics and propensity
score matching model.
04
Results/Products: frequencies,
percentages & inferential statistics.
Purpose: To explain the second
phase quantitative results
Sample participants: 140
participants from survey participants.
Data collection: Focus group
discussions with interview guide,
EVISTR Digital Voice Recorder and
notebook.
Data analysis: Edited, transcribed,
coded into themes & analysed with
content analysis in Stata 16.
Results/Products: Distribution of
words and their frequencies.
CONTRIBUTION OF THE STUDY
Question of the effects of LSAI on biodiversity in Ghana remains a knowledge
gap yet to be filled (Mbaya, 2015; Ajala, 2018).
The major channels through which LSAI affect biodiversity have not been
extensively studied in Ghana.
Impacts of LSAI on livelihoods have been generally inconclusive (e.g., Shete
and Rutten, 2015; Santangelo, 2018).
04
IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY
The findings will be useful for the community-investor guidelines for largescale land transactions by Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture and
Lands Commission.
Findings from this study may also help inform policy-makers in designing
investment guidelines to strengthen trade ties between Ghana and foreign
government
OUR HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO YOU FOR YOUR
TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!
ABDUL-HANAN & KARIM