Non-Timber Forest Products and Climate Change Resilience: The Case of the Savannah Woodlands Northern Ghana

Abstract

The study was conducted in northern Ghana where the savannah woodland constitutes the major vegetation cover. The population is largely rural and the incidence of poverty is relatively high in Northern Ghana is relatively high compared to other parts of Ghana. The study revealed that Non-timber forest products contribute significantly to rural livelihoods by way of food, employment and income. This is, especially, significant for the poor and vulnerable. Recent trends, however, indicate that the resource base is dwindling partly due to over-exploitation and agricultural expansion. Climate change has highlighted the need to explore options to ensure a more resilient food systems in northern Ghana by way of mutually enforced agriculture and forestry sectors thereby optimizing benefits from both sectors. Consequently, the concludes by proposing a model and innovative pathways for achieving this.

Keywords: Non-timber, forests, forest products, resilience, savannah, woodland