IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v9y2017i11p2090-d118714.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sustainable Urban Agriculture in Ghana: What Governance System Works?

Author

Listed:
  • Eileen Bogweh Nchanji

    (Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Georg-August Universität, 37073 Göttingen, Germany)

Abstract

Urban farming takes advantage of its proximity to market, transport and other urban infrastructure to provide food for the city and sustain the livelihoods of urban and peri-urban dwellers. It is an agricultural activity which employs more than 50% of the local urban population with positive and negative impacts on local and national development. Urban agriculture is an informal activity not supported by law but in practice is regulated to a certain extent by state institutions, traditional rulers, farmers and national and international non-governmental organisations. Tamale’s rapid population growth, exacerbated by the unplanned development system and institutional conflicts, are factors contributing to the present bottlenecks in the urban agricultural system. In this paper, these bottlenecks are conceptualised as problems of governance. These issues will be illustrated using ethnographic data from land sales, crop-livestock competition, waste-water irrigation, and markets. I will explain how conflicts which arise from these different situations are resolved through the interactions of various governance systems. Informal governance arrangements are widespread, but neither they nor formal systems are always successful in resolving governance issues. A participatory governance does not seem possible due to actors’ divergent interests. A governance solution for this sector is not yet apparent, contributing to food and nutritional insecurity.

Suggested Citation

  • Eileen Bogweh Nchanji, 2017. "Sustainable Urban Agriculture in Ghana: What Governance System Works?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-18, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:11:p:2090-:d:118714
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/11/2090/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/11/2090/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Drechsel, Pay & Keraita, B., 2014. "Irrigated urban vegetable production in Ghana: characteristics, benefits and risk mitigation," IWMI Books, International Water Management Institute, number 208760.
    2. Danso, G. & Drechsel, Pay & Obuobie, E. & Forkuor, G. & Kranjac-Berisavljevic, G., 2014. "Urban vegetable farming sites, crops and cropping practices," IWMI Books, Reports H046599, International Water Management Institute.
    3. Jean‐Pierre Olivier de Sardan, 2011. "The Eight Modes of Local Governance in West Africa," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 42(2), pages 22-31, March.
    4. Drechsel, Pay & Keraita, B., 2014. "Irrigated urban vegetable production in Ghana: characteristics, benefits and risk mitigation," IWMI Books, Reports H046597, International Water Management Institute.
    5. Woodhouse, Philip, 2003. "African Enclosures: A Default Mode of Development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 31(10), pages 1705-1720, October.
    6. Rudolf R. Sinkovics & Eva A. Alfoldi, 2012. "Progressive Focusing and Trustworthiness in Qualitative Research," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 52(6), pages 817-845, December.
    7. Drechsel, Pay & Graefe, S. & Sonou, M. & Cofie, Olufunke, 2006. "Informal irrigation in urban West Africa: An overview," IWMI Research Reports H039249, International Water Management Institute.
    8. Drechsel, Pay & Graefe, Sophie & Sonou, Moise & Cofie, Olufunke O., 2006. "Informal irrigation in urban West Africa: An overview," IWMI Research Reports 44572, International Water Management Institute.
    9. Ronald H. Coase, 2000. "The new institutional economics," Chapters, in: Claude Ménard (ed.), Institutions, Contracts and Organizations, chapter 1, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    10. Hartmut Schneider, 1999. "Participatory Governance: The Missing Link for Poverty Reduction," OECD Development Centre Policy Briefs 17, OECD Publishing.
    11. Williamson, Oliver E, 1998. "The Institutions of Governance," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 88(2), pages 75-79, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Huidan Xue & Yujia Zhai & Wen-Hao Su & Ziling He, 2023. "Governance and Actions for Resilient Urban Food Systems in the Era of COVID-19: Lessons and Challenges in China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-25, August.
    2. Agyapong, Nana Ama & Annan, Reginald A. & Apprey, Charles & Aryeetey, Richmond, 2022. "A review of Ghana’s food system and its implications on sustainability and the development of national food-based dietary guidelines," African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development (AJFAND), African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development (AJFAND), vol. 22(02).
    3. Gaëlle Petit & Gwenola Yannou-Le Bris & Claudia Eckert & Yan Liu, 2021. "Facilitating Aligned Co-Decisions for More Sustainable Food Value Chains," Post-Print hal-03640243, HAL.
    4. Gaëlle Petit & Gwenola Yannou-Le Bris & Claudia Eckert & Yan Liu, 2021. "Facilitating Aligned Co-Decisions for More Sustainable Food Value Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-16, June.
    5. Tibesigwa, Byela & Ntuli, Herbert & Muta, Telvin, 2022. "We can incorporate agriculture ecosystems into urban green economy in Tanzania: Dar es Salaam households are willing to pay," EfD Discussion Paper 22-19, Environment for Development, University of Gothenburg.
    6. Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh & Bellwood-Howard, Imogen, 2018. "Governance in urban and peri-urban vegetable farming in Tamale, Northern Ghana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 205-214.
    7. Mawuna Donald Houessou & Mirte van de Louw & Ben G. J. S. Sonneveld, 2020. "What Constraints the Expansion of Urban Agriculture in Benin?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-16, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Joycelyn K. Quansah & Cesar L. Escalante & Angela P.-H. Kunadu & Firibu K. Saalia & Jinru Chen, 2020. "Pre- and Post-Harvest Practices of Urban Leafy Green Vegetable Farmers in Accra, Ghana and Their Association with Microbial Quality of Vegetables Produced," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14, January.
    2. Camillus Abawiera Wongnaa & Margaret Atosina Akuriba & Amissah Ebenezer & Karen Sakyibea Danquah & Danso Anthony Ofosu, 2019. "Profitability and constraints to urban exotic vegetable production systems in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana: a recipe for job creation," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 9(1), pages 1-19, December.
    3. Amponsah, Owusu & Vigre, Håkan & Schou, Torben Wilde & Boateng, Ethel Seiwaa & Braimah, Imoro & Abaidoo, Robert Clement, 2015. "Assessing low quality water use policy framework: Case study from Ghana," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 1-15.
    4. 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.
    5. Philip Amoah & Noah Adamtey & Olufunke Cofie, 2017. "Effect of Urine, Poultry Manure, and Dewatered Faecal Sludge on Agronomic Characteristics of Cabbage in Accra, Ghana," Resources, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-14, May.
    6. Frimpong Boamah, Emmanuel & Sumberg, James & Raja, Samina, 2020. "Farming within a dual legal land system: An argument for emancipatory food systems planning in Accra, Ghana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    7. Kathrin Stenchly & Marc Victor Hansen & Katharina Stein & Andreas Buerkert & Wilhelm Loewenstein, 2018. "Income Vulnerability of West African Farming Households to Losses in Pollination Services: A Case Study from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-12, November.
    8. Leakey, Roger & Kranjac-Berisavljevic, Gordana & Caron, Patrick & Craufurd, Peter & Martin, Adrienne M. & McDonald, Andy & Abedini, Walter & Afiff, Suraya & Bakurin, Ndey & Bass, Steve & Hilbeck, Ange, 2009. "Impacts of AKST on development and sustainability goals," Book Chapters,, International Water Management Institute.
    9. Barry, Boubacar & Kortatsi, Benony & Forkuor, Gerald & Gumma, Murali Krishna & Namara, Regassa E. & Rebelo, Lisa-Maria & van den Berg, Joost & Laube, Wolfram, 2010. "Shallow groundwater in the Atankwidi Catchment of the White Volta Basin: current status and future sustainability," IWMI Research Reports 112969, International Water Management Institute.
    10. Sana Khalid & Muhammad Shahid & Natasha & Irshad Bibi & Tania Sarwar & Ali Haidar Shah & Nabeel Khan Niazi, 2018. "A Review of Environmental Contamination and Health Risk Assessment of Wastewater Use for Crop Irrigation with a Focus on Low and High-Income Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-36, May.
    11. Drechsel, Pay & Qadir, M. & Galibourg, D., 2022. "The WHO guidelines for safe wastewater use in agriculture: a review of implementation challenges and possible solutions in the global south," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 1-14(6):864.
    12. Mukhamedova, Nozilakhon & Wegerich, Kai, 2017. "The rising challenge of multiple water resource use at the urban fringes - evidence from Ferghana District of Uzbekistan," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 3(2), pages 41-53.
    13. Namara, Regassa E. & Hanjra, Munir A. & Castillo, Gina E. & Ravnborg, Helle Munk & Smith, Lawrence & Van Koppen, Barbara, 2010. "Agricultural water management and poverty linkages," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(4), pages 520-527, April.
    14. Scheierling, S. M., 2010. "Improving wastewater use in agriculture: an emerging priority," IWMI Working Papers H043153, International Water Management Institute.
    15. Gabriela Przeslawska, 2019. "Significance of uncertainty in explaining institutional change in Douglass C. North’s approach," Ekonomia i Prawo, Uniwersytet Mikolaja Kopernika, vol. 18(3), pages 331-346, September.
    16. Taron, Avinandan & Drechsel, Pay & Gebrezgabher, Solomie, 2021. "Gender dimensions of solid and liquid waste management for reuse in agriculture in Asia and Africa," Resource Recovery and Reuse Series H050720, International Water Management Institute.
    17. Amoah, Philip & Keraita, Bernard & Akple, Maxwell & Drechsel, Pay & Abaidoo, Robert Clement & Konradsen, Flemming, 2011. "Low-cost options for reducing consumer health risks from farm to fork where crops are irrigated with polluted water in West Africa," IWMI Research Reports 108673, International Water Management Institute.
    18. Woltering, Lennart & Ibrahim, Ali & Pasternak, Dov & Ndjeunga, Jupiter, 2011. "The economics of low pressure drip irrigation and hand watering for vegetable production in the Sahel," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 99(1), pages 67-73.
    19. Prince Antwi-Agyei & Anne Peasey & Adam Biran & Jane Bruce & Jeroen Ensink, 2016. "Risk Perceptions of Wastewater Use for Urban Agriculture in Accra, Ghana," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(3), pages 1-18, March.
    20. de Fraiture, Charlotte & Giordano, Meredith, 2014. "Small private irrigation: A thriving but overlooked sector," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 167-174.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:11:p:2090-:d:118714. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.