The impact of entrepreneurial activities on the environment in the Upper East Region, Ghana Presented By Dr Z.K.M BATSE DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS BOLGATANGA

The impact of entrepreneurial The impact of entrepreneurial activities on the environment in the activities on the environment in the

Upper East Region, GhanaUpper East Region, Ghana

Presented Presented ByBy

Dr Z.K.M BATSEDr Z.K.M BATSEDEPARTMENT OF STATISTICSDEPARTMENT OF STATISTICSBOLGATANGA POLYTECHNICBOLGATANGA POLYTECHNIC

4th July 2005

BACK GROUND OF THE UPPER BACK GROUND OF THE UPPER EAST REGION EAST REGION

History and locationHistory and location

Location: North Eastern part of Ghana.Boundaries: North (Burkina Faso) ,West (Upper West Region) ,South ( NorthernRegion) East ( Republic of Togo)History: Carved out of Northern RegionIn 1960 as Upper Region .Upper RegionSplit into Upper East and Upper west RegionsIn 1983.

Natural environmentNatural environment

VegetationVegetation Climate Climate SoilSoil

Vegetation: Savannah Woodland, short scatteredTrees.Climate: Very hot, singleRainy season ( May-Oct)Rainfall erratic spatially And in duration. Long Spell of dry season (Novto Feb), cold dry dustyHarmattan winds.Soils: Bole=sand, Tanga( rocks} Bolgatanga

Highlights of Population ( general characteristics)Highlights of Population ( general characteristics) Population size Population size 920,089920,089 Males :442,492Males :442,492 Females :477.597Females :477.597

About 4.9% of national population of 19 million. Density is 104Persons per sq km. Higher than national average of 79.3 persons

Highlights of Population ( general Highlights of Population ( general characteristics)characteristics)

Population distributionPopulation distribution

Population distribution

0

20

40

60

80

100

urban rural

Distribution

Per

cent

ages


Age structureAge structure

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Per

cent

ages

Below 15 yrs 15-64 yrs 65&over

Ages

Age structure

Large dependent population below 15 years. Large potential labour force


Literacy and school Literacy and school attendanceattendance

Education not introducedInto the north early ,A deliberate colonial policyLiteracy and school Attendance levels therefore Very low

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

NotliterateEnglishonlyGhanaianonlyEng&GhanaianOtherlang

Three out of everyFour persons aged three years And over have never attendedSchool.


Main source of drinking waterMain source of drinking water

Pipe borne water and bore hole Water considered safe water.56% have access to safe water

0

10

20

30

40

50

Percent

Main source of drinking water

Pipe borne waterWellBoreholeRiver/streamAll others


Main source of lightingMain source of lighting

0102030405060708090

Percent

Main source of Lighting

Kerosene LampElectricityAll others

Only about one out of every twelve Households have access to electricity


Main source of cooking Main source of cooking fuelfuel

010203040506070

Percent

Main source of cooking fuel

Fuel woodCharcoalGas/electricKeroseneOthers

78.2% of households use firewoodOr charcoal


Toilet facilitiesToilet facilities

01020304050607080

Percent

Main source of toilet facility

No facilityPublicAll others

Environmental sanitationIs very poor. Three out ofEvery four households Have no toilet facility


Solid waste disposalSolid waste disposal

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Percent

Method of solid waste disposal

DumpedelsewherePublic dump site

Burnt

Buried

Collected byauthorityAall othersAbout 55.0% dump solid

Waste anywhere


Liquid waste disposalLiquid waste disposal

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Percent

Method of liquid waste disposal

Street/gutterCompoundSewerage systemAll others

About 55.0% pour liquidWaste into the street/gutterOr in the compound.

Main Entrepreneurial ActivitiesMain Entrepreneurial Activities

Agriculture, hunting and Agriculture, hunting and forestryforestry

Main economic activities

01020304050607080

agric manf trade mining others

Main economic activities

Per

cent

ages

Farming methods/practicesFarming methods/practices Types of crops farmedTypes of crops farmed Livestock raring (free Livestock raring (free

range)range)

Main Entrepreneurial ActivitiesMain Entrepreneurial Activities

Quarrying

Large-scale commercial quarryingSmall-scale quarrying

small scale miningsmall scale mining

Large-scale capital intensive miningSmall- scale mining ( galamsey)

Entrepreneurial Activities and Entrepreneurial Activities and Environmental DegradationEnvironmental Degradation

(Vegetation and soil)(Vegetation and soil)

Fuel wood harvesting and charcoal manufacturingFuel wood harvesting and charcoal manufacturingExtent of use of firewood and charcoalSources of wood fuel supply

Impact of Fire Wood and Charcoal Impact of Fire Wood and Charcoal ManufacturingManufacturingReduction in forest canopy

Greater threat of fire damageGenetic depletion


(Vegetation and soil)(Vegetation and soil) Impact of farming activitiesImpact of farming activities

Reduction in vegetationReduction in soil fertility Removal of the top soil

Entrepreneurial Activities and Entrepreneurial Activities and Environmental Degradation Environmental Degradation

(Vegetation and soil)(Vegetation and soil) Impact of small-scale mining: Destruction of VegetationImpact of small-scale mining: Destruction of Vegetation

Entrepreneurial Activities and Entrepreneurial Activities and Environmental Degradation Environmental Degradation

(Vegetation and soil)(Vegetation and soil) Impact of small-scale mining: Impact of small-scale mining: Creation of un-reclaimable land


(Vegetation and soil)(Vegetation and soil)

Impact of Impact of quarryingquarrying

Destruction of vegetationCreation of difficult toReclaim land areas


(Vegetation and soil)(Vegetation and soil) Bush firesBush fires

Causes of Bush FiresCauses of Bush Fires

Farming methods ( slash and burn)Farming methods ( slash and burn) HerdsmenHerdsmen Charcoal productionCharcoal production HuntingHunting Honey tappingHoney tapping Cigarette smokingCigarette smoking Long distance vehicle driversLong distance vehicle drivers Fire festivalsFire festivals

Extent of Bush FiresExtent of Bush Fires

Fifty percent of Ghana’s vegetation cover lost Fifty percent of Ghana’s vegetation cover lost in 1982-83 dry seasonin 1982-83 dry season

28 major or extensive outbreaks recorded in 28 major or extensive outbreaks recorded in the Upper East region between December the Upper East region between December 1995 and may 19961995 and may 1996

Fifty percent of vegetation cover destroyedFifty percent of vegetation cover destroyed 164 Ha of forest reserves in the region 164 Ha of forest reserves in the region

denudeddenuded

Impact of bush firesImpact of bush fires

Soil impoverishedSoil impoverished Increase in wind and water erosionIncrease in wind and water erosion Changes in structure and composition of Changes in structure and composition of

vegetationvegetation Impedes recovery of burnt vegetationImpedes recovery of burnt vegetation Raises surface temperatures at soil levelRaises surface temperatures at soil level

Exasperates food security problems( 35% of standing crops or stored cereals are lost to bush fires annually)

Re-forestation ProgrammesRe-forestation Programmes

NavrongoNavrongo BongoBongo

(The Gia/Nabio Agro forestry Development Organization)

(Anti-bush fire education: A Success story)

Summary and conclusionSummary and conclusion

Main factors responsible for vegetation and soil degradation in the Upper East Region can be Attributed to the increased demand for agricultural land, cutting of trees for fuel wood and Charcoal and bush fires. Small scale mining and quarrying have created very intensive Damages in a few uncultivated lands and communities.Tree planting seems to be the way out , but creates monocultures.

Documents

The impact of entrepreneurial activities on the environment in the Upper East Region, Ghana Presented By Dr Z.K.M BATSE DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS BOLGATANGA