Managing Agrodiversity in the Traditional Way: Lessons from West Africa in Sustainable Use of Biodiversity and Related Natural Resources

Contents......Page 6
List of tables and illustrations......Page 9
List of colour plates......Page 14
A. Major ecological/vegetation zones of West Africa......Page 15
B. Major agro-ecological zones and PLEC demonstration sites in Ghana......Page 16
C. Gyamfiase-Adenya demonstration site......Page 17
D. Sekesua-Osonson demonstration site......Page 18
E. Amanase-Whanabenya demonstration site......Page 19
Preface......Page 20
Foreword......Page 24
Acknowledgements......Page 28
Part I: Methodological approaches and knowledge systems......Page 30
1. Methodological approaches to the book......Page 32
2. Philosophical foundations of biophysical resource use with special reference to Ghana......Page 37
3. Traditional methods of resource assessment relative to the scientific approach......Page 43
4. Farmer strategies of managing agrodiversity in a variable climate in PLEC demonstration sites in southern Ghana......Page 54
5. Demonstration sites and expert farmers in conservation of biodiversity......Page 67
Part II: Cropping systems and related case studies......Page 80
6. Management regimes in southern Ghana......Page 82
7. Yams: Traditional ways of managing their diversity for food security in southern Ghana......Page 98
8. Sustaining diversity of yams in northern Ghana......Page 113
9. Conservation of indigenous rice varieties by women of Gore in the northern savanna zone, Ghana......Page 126
10. Vegetables: Traditional ways of managing their diversity for food security in southern Ghana......Page 135
11. The proka mulching and no-burn system: A case study of Tano-Odumasi and Jachie......Page 148
12. Managing the home garden for food security and as a germplasm bank......Page 164
13. Management of trees in association with crops in traditional agroforestry systems......Page 184
14. Preliminary observations on effects of traditional farming practices on growth and yield of crops......Page 194
15. Effects of four indigenous trees canopy covers on soil fertility in a Ghanaian savanna......Page 206
16. Comparative management of the savanna woodland in Ghana and Guinea: A preliminary analysis......Page 216
17. Agrodiversity within and without conserved forests for enhancing rural livelihoods......Page 232
Part III: Social dimensions of resource management......Page 244
18. Aspects of resource tenure that conserve biodiversity: The case of southern and northern Ghana......Page 246
19. Resource access and distribution and the use of land in Tano-Odumasi, central Ghana......Page 257
20. Women environmental pacesetters of Jachie......Page 271
Part IV: Conclusion......Page 280
21. Lessons learnt and future research directions......Page 282
Contributors......Page 286
A......Page 288
E......Page 289
I......Page 290
P......Page 291
S......Page 292
V......Page 293
Y......Page 294
Z......Page 295