“Fisherfolks eat from the sea, why should we not eat from the forest?”: farmer narratives of forest conversion in Ghana
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Beyond global efforts dedicated to halting deforestation, in recent times, governments and companies are also implementing several voluntary initiatives to end agro-commodities driven deforestation. These initiatives are built on the assumptions that tropical forest loss endangers biodiversity, climate stability and forest livelihoods. While many of the assumptions hold in many ways, discussions around them tend to be dominated by governments, companies, and international organisations, neglecting the voices of subsistence farmers and forest-fringe communities (FFCs). Given that subsistence farmers contribute to about 33% of global deforestation, and that the meanings these farmers assign to their landscapes can affect conversation program outcomes, understanding FFCs perspectives about deforestation might provide new insights for effective zero- deforestation policies. Drawing on Narrative Policy Analysis, this paper traces the narratives that FFCs use to justify encroaching into protected forests to cultivate cocoa and food crops in southwestern Ghana, where restrictive deforestation policies have failed persistently. The article shows that FFCs are aware of the narratives, e.g., biodiversity, climate action, forest regulators use to legitimise forest conservation. However, they believe that their food security and quest for survival outweigh these ‘western priorities’. Besides, “the forest is finished”. The incongruity between farmers’ needs and forest regulators’ expectations complicates forest conservation attempts. Drawing on the political ecology literature, the paper argues that forest policy in the region needs to prioritise job creation and food security to have a chance at success, especially since most farmers in the region are prepared to put their lives at stake, converting forests for their daily survival.
Keywords: Deforestation and forest degradation, Agriculture, Governance, Social protection
ID: 3485073