On the Question of Sustainable Forest Practices? An Assessment of Ghana’s Ratification of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement

Abstract

Between 2015 and 2020, the rate of deforestation was estimated at 10 million hectares per year. Continued forest degradation raises serious socio-economic and environmental concerns which has led to policy proposals emanating from both local and international sources. What would make a sovereign country kowtow to externally driven policy intervention? This study contributes to the literature on sustainable forest management by assessing why countries would ratify interventions that are proposed by parties external to the sovereign state. Being the first country to ratify the European Union Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), this study assesses the rationale for Ghana’s ratification of the VPA. The study adopts the qualitative case study design to purposively select key respondents who play critical roles in VPA value chain in Ghana. The study observes that although the VPA and its requirements are from external sources, they nonetheless fall in line with local ongoing efforts by the Forestry Commission of Ghana. The study concludes that a policy even if originates from external source is more likely to be embraced if does not challenge but feeds into government’s prevalent activities, the legitimacy of that agreement/policy and enforcement remains higher. The study argues for a convergence of local and external interventions and the development of innovative mechanisms to effectively manage forests sustainably, to improve peoples’ livelihoods, and protect natural resources.

Keywords: Sustainability; forest management; VPA; Policies; sustainable livelihoods

DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/73-05

Publication date: February 28^th 2021