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Challenging Neo‐Malthusian Deforestation Analyses in West Africa's Dynamic Forest Landscapes

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  • Melissa Leach
  • James Fairhead

Abstract

Many influential analyses of West Africa take it for granted that ‘original’ forest cover has progressively been converted and savannized during the twentieth century by growing populations. By testing these assumptions against historical evidence, exemplified for Ghana and Ivory Coast, this article shows that these neo‐Malthusian deforestation narratives badly misrepresent people–forest relationships. They obscure important nonlinear dynamics, as well as widespread anthropogenic forest expansion and landscape enrichment. These processes are better captured, in broad terms, by a neo‐Boserupian perspective on population–forest dynamics. However, comprehending variations in locale‐specific trajectories of change requires fuller appreciation of social differences in environmental and resource values, of how diverse institutions shape resource access and control, and of ecological variability and path dependency in how landscapes respond to use. The second half of the article présents and illustrates such a “landscape structuretion” perspective through case studies from the forest–savanna transition zones of Ghana and Guinea.

Suggested Citation

  • Melissa Leach & James Fairhead, 2000. "Challenging Neo‐Malthusian Deforestation Analyses in West Africa's Dynamic Forest Landscapes," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 26(1), pages 17-43, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:popdev:v:26:y:2000:i:1:p:17-43
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1728-4457.2000.00017.x
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    1. Jahel, Camille & Vall, Eric & Rodriguez, Zermeño & Bégué, Agnès & Baron, Christian & Augusseau, Xavier & Lo Seen, Danny, 2018. "Analysing plausible futures from past patterns of land change in West Burkina Faso," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 60-74.
    2. Margareta Amy Lelea & Lydia Madintin Konlan & Rashida Chantima Ziblila & Lara Elena Thiele & Araba Amo-Aidoo & Brigitte Kaufmann, 2022. "Strategies to Promote Sustainable Development: The Gendered Importance of Addressing Diminishing African Locust Bean ( Parkia biglobosa ) Resources in Northern Ghana’s Agro-Ecological Landscape," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-20, September.
    3. Jackson, Emerson Abraham, 2018. "Political Economy of Forest Ecology in Sierra Leone: A focus on the Western Area Peninsular Forest (WAPFoR)," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 9(1), pages 63-90.
    4. Jackson, Emerson Abraham, 2016. "Phronesis and Resource Curse Hypothesis in Post-Independent Sierra Leone," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 3, pages 1-11.
    5. JACKSON Emerson Abraham, 2021. "Financing Sustainable Development: Alleviating Livelihoods In The Forest Sector With Sierra Leone As A Case Study," Management of Sustainable Development, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 13(2), pages 49-65, December.
    6. Owusu, Victor & Gunning, Jan Willem & Burger, Kees, 2007. "Do Tenure Differences Influence the Improvement of Quality of Rented Land? Empirical Evidence from Rural Ghana," 106th Seminar, October 25-27, 2007, Montpellier, France 7933, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    7. Rebecca Jo Stormes Newman & Claudia Capitani & Colin Courtney-Mustaphi & Jessica Paula Rose Thorn & Rebecca Kariuki & Charis Enns & Robert Marchant, 2020. "Integrating Insights from Social-Ecological Interactions into Sustainable Land Use Change Scenarios for Small Islands in the Western Indian Ocean," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-22, February.
    8. Dawson, Neil & Martin, Adrian, 2015. "Assessing the contribution of ecosystem services to human wellbeing: A disaggregated study in western Rwanda," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 62-72.
    9. Hashmiu, Ishmael & Agbenyega, Olivia & Dawoe, Evans, 2022. "Determinants of crop choice decisions under risk: A case study on the revival of cocoa farming in the Forest-Savannah transition zone of Ghana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    10. Sletto, Bjørn, 2008. "The Knowledge that Counts: Institutional Identities, Policy Science, and the Conflict Over Fire Management in the Gran Sabana, Venezuela," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(10), pages 1938-1955, October.
    11. World Health Organization, 2017. "Tobacco and its environmental impact: an overview," University of California at San Francisco, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education qt8tp3r5rc, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, UC San Francisco.

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