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Illegality and inequity in Ghana’s cocoa-forest landscape: How formalization can undermine farmers control and benefits from trees on their farms

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  • Hirons, M.
  • McDermott, C.
  • Asare, R.
  • Morel, A.
  • Robinson, E.
  • Mason, J.
  • Boyd, E.
  • Malhi, Y.
  • Norris, K

Abstract

Schemes to promote sustainable forest management have increasingly focused on addressing widespread informalities in timber production, based on the presumed links between formalisation, the maintenance of forest cover and local welfare. This trend is typified by the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) initiative and associated Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPA) aimed at eradicating the trade of illegal wood between partner countries and the EU. Yet there is concern that such initiatives might have detrimental impacts on the largely informal rights of local resource users. In order to inform the formalisation agenda, more detailed analysis of the operation of local rights, and how they might be affected by particular schemes is required.

Suggested Citation

  • Hirons, M. & McDermott, C. & Asare, R. & Morel, A. & Robinson, E. & Mason, J. & Boyd, E. & Malhi, Y. & Norris, K, 2018. "Illegality and inequity in Ghana’s cocoa-forest landscape: How formalization can undermine farmers control and benefits from trees on their farms," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 405-413.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:76:y:2018:i:c:p:405-413
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2018.02.014
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    Cited by:

    1. Asaaga, Festus A. & Hirons, Mark A. & Malhi, Yadvinder, 2020. "Questioning the link between tenure security and sustainable land management in cocoa landscapes in Ghana," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    2. Hansen, Christian P. & Rutt, Rebecca & Acheampong, Emmanuel, 2018. "‘Experimental’ or business as usual? Implementing the European Union Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Voluntary Partnership Agreement in Ghana," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 75-82.
    3. Adams, Marshall Alhassan & Kayira, Jean & Tegegne, Yitagesu Tekle & Gruber, James S., 2020. "A comparative analysis of the institutional capacity of FLEGT VPA in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Ghana, Liberia, and the Republic of the Congo," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    4. Hajjar, Reem & Newton, Peter & Ihalainen, Markus & Agrawal, Arun & Alix-Garcia, Jennifer & Castle, Sarah E. & Erbaugh, James T. & Gabay, Monica & Hughes, Karl & Mawutor, Samuel & Pacheco, Pablo & Scho, 2021. "Levers for alleviating poverty in forests," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    5. Acheampong, Emmanuel & Maryudi, Ahmad, 2020. "Avoiding legality: Timber producers’ strategies and motivations under FLEGT in Ghana and Indonesia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).

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