Participating assessment of the wetland ecosystem services in the Volta Basin

• Main Author: Atibila, John Mbaburgi
• Published: University of Leeds 2011
• Subjects: 333.9180966
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.549702

The thesis was conducted in five communal wetlands in the Volta Basin. The objectives were to develop an integrated social-ecological conceptual and analytical framework to evaluate the benefits of wetlands; and to explore and discuss how wetlands may become degraded. Based on these objectives, the GLECT was designed as a conceptual and analytical framework, and used to obtain the results. The results showed that rural communities benefited from three types of wetlands ecosystem services. The provisioning services were associated with wetland conversion, and provided subsistence crops for rural livelihoods. Commercial crops were also produced m the wetlands and contributed to poverty alleviation. Regulating/supporting services had the highest potential to contribute to poverty alleviation, but farmers needed scientific, technical and financial support to develop the livestock and natural products sectors into sustainable rural enterprises for poverty alleviation and food security. The cultural services were partially evaluated but had great potential for development into rural, social, tourism-based enterprises to improve the wellbeing of local people. Four drivers of degradation influenced wetland ecosystems differently. Weakened traditional governance systems including national governments' policy failures, livelihood pressure, climatic variability and inappropriate technologies, all combined to drive large-scale land cover changes in the White Volta Basin. Belayela, a community in the same White Volta Basin, applied the wise use concept and benefited a lot from their wetlands. Wetlands in the fifth community, N angodi, were protected areas, so remained in their near-pristine state. Here, wetlands provided abundant roofing grasses and poles, but fewer food-crops to the people. This thesis recommends the formulation of integrated regional economic development and poverty alleviation policies to increase agricultural production, trade and investments in the Volta Basin, which stretches across six countries. It also proposes that the six basin countries should consider initiating and implementing an integrated basin-wide wetland policy to promote wetland sustainability.