Drivers of deforestation and forest degradation and local capital assets in community resource management areas: implications for REDD+

The Ghanaian government has initiated the Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reductions Project (GSLERP) in northern Ghana to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (DFD) and mitigate climate change. This study provides baseline information on the context-specific drivers of DFD and assess the local livelihood capital assets of Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs) in the Northern Savannah Zone (NSZ) to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of the project. The study used satellite images to assess the trend of forest cover changes; focus group discussions to identify the main drivers of DFD; and multicriteria decision analysis to determine the best CREMA for pilot demonstration of potential project interventions based on the livelihood capitals. Results showed that forest cover in the NSZ has increased from 1992 to 2020. Bushfire, wood harvesting for fuelwood and charcoal, overgrazing, and illegal logging in that order were considered the leading direct drivers of DFD in the CREMAs, with accompanying underlying causes, including population growth, weak law enforcement, poverty, and limited non-farm livelihood opportunities. The study revealed that social and natural capitals were higher in the CREMAs than human, physical, and financial capitals. We found that Zukpiri CREMA was the best place to conduct a pilot demonstration of interventions to tackle the drivers of DFD, with an uncertainty score of 10%. The findings are valuable for policy-makers and relevant stakeholders in the project landscape to develop policies and programmes for resilient ecosystems and livelihoods in CREMA communities and make better investment decisions for the project’s sustainability.