Short description of the best practice

This best practice as it name implies involves no bush burning throughout the year, whether in land preparation prior to the cropping season or after harvesting, thus allowing the vegetation and the stubble remaining after harvesting to dry completely which eventually will decompose to release the nutrients to the new crop.  For this concept to succeed all stakeholders had to play an active role. With the cooperation of the traditional authorities and the district assemblies, rules and regulations were enacted which spells out penalties for offenders thereby serving as a deterrent.  Within a period of five years after the inception of this concept, the benefits were already evident. Agricultural yields were much higher in these communities than in adjourning communities as a result of improved soil fertility, due to a lowered rate of erosion. There is almost permanent vegetation cover throughout the year.  Soil moisture levels increased and over all soil ecology has improved considerably resulting in an increased soil microbial activity with its concomitant increase in soil organic matter due to the improved soil ecology and absence of fire.  |

Location

The three Northern Regions of Ghana  that is some communities within Upper East Region, Upper West Region and Northern Region.|

If the location has well defined boundaries, specify its extension in hectares:

810000.0

Estimated population living in the location:

250000.0

Brief description of the natural environment within the specified location.

Most of the soils are developed on thoroughly weathered parent materials.  They are old and have been leached over a long period of time.  As a result, their organic matter
content is generally low. Their buffering capacity as well as cation exchange capacity are also low since their predominant clay mineral is kaolinite.  The soils are consequently of low inherent fertility. The low vegetative cover during the long dry season also renders most of the soils susceptible to erosion during the rai|
It experiences a uni-modal rainfall regime lasting 5-6 months and a long period of drought lasting 6-7 months in the year.  Average rainfall, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, sunshine hours and solar radiation are 885 mm, 28.6 0C, 54 %, 81 km/day, 7.9 hours and 20.4 MJ/m2/day respectively. Potential evapotranspiration amounts to 1720 mm per annum.  Evapotranspiration is therefore in excess of about 66.4 % over rainfall.  
The average annual aridity index is 0.60.|
The topography is gently undulating and low in relief with slopes of 3 to 4 per cent dominating.  The highest hills are around 397m and most of the area lies between 153 and 244 m above sea level.

Prevailing socio-economic conditions of those living in the location and/or nearby

The main income sources is from the sales of agricultural products, food processing, livestock and poultry rearing; handicraft.|
Most of the land in Ghana is under communal ownership. Communal land is controlled by lineage or clan-based land-owning groups and allocated to individuals or households on a usufructuary basis. In most parts of the country, particularly in the northern regions, women generally have difficulties in accessing land except where there is a male guarantor, or where there is group ownership.|
Farming is the first and main source of livelihood for this community. Charcoal production and fuel wood collection for sale in town.

On the basis of which criteria and/or indicator(s) (not related to The Strategy) the proposed practice and corresponding technology has been considered as 'best'?

Goziiri which hitherto was a highly degraded area before the inception of the non- burning experiment, eight (8) maxi (800 kilograms) bags of soya beans were harvested on one acre plot in 2004 as against three (3) maxi bags or less of soya beans previously harvested on the same parcel of land. Coverage of such non- burning communities range between a quarter of a kilometer to 6km2 A mechanism such as the establishment of green belts, promotion of natural regeneration sites and creation of community reserves are encouraged in bushfire prone or communities with high density of trees to serve as practical demonstration sites. Since the inception of this approach in 2001, seventy- three (73) communities have adopted this approach as part of the non- burning experiment. Community reserves as regeneration sites have plot sizes between 50 and 400 acres.|

Main problems addressed by the best practice

Protection of the soil biodiversity, prevention of soil erosion.  Conservation of indigenous biodiversity; improved soil fertility; improved and protected riverine vegetation |

Outline specific land degradation problems addressed by the best practice

Soil erosion prevention; prevent leaching of soil nutrients; improve soil binding capacity; protect soil micro organisms and microbial activities; protection of fire tender species, prevent invasion of weeds and poor quality forage; Prevent the formation of iron pan as a result of exposure of the soil.|

Specify the objectives of the best practice

To control the ritual bush burning that engulfs the country annually; To reverse the trend of land degradation and the threat of desertification in affected communities; To improve food security and effect of climate change on rural communities.  

Brief description of main activities, by objective

To control bush fires and to protect natural (primarily plant) resources in defined reserve areas.
The concept encourages complete non-burning in highly degraded environments and areas prone to wildfires.  The mechanisms to sustain the programme are to create fire belts, formation of Community Environmental Management Committees, enactment and enforcements regulations, training of fire volunteers|
To improve soil moisture levels within the non-burning area resulting in increased soil microbial activities thereby improving the soil ecology.

Short description and technical specifications of the technology

Clearance of the fire break around the non-burning areas.  Creation of awareness and sensitazation among the community members on the importance of non-burning;  Enactment and enforcement of community bye-laws by the District Assemblies and Traditional Authorities. Promotion of alternative livelihood activities to the non burning communities.  Provision of awards and incentive packages;
Not applicable

Name and address of the institution developing the technology

Environmental Protection Agency, NAP Secretariat |P. O. Box M326, Accra-Ghana|Environmental Protection Agency Offices in Northern|P. O. Box TL 620, Tamale|Environmental Protection Agency Offices in Upper East Region|P. O. Box 80, Bolgatanga|Environmental Protection Agency, Upper West Regional Office, |P. O. Box 179, Wa-Ghana

Was the technology developed in partnership?

Yes

List the partners:

Community Environmental Management Committees (CEMCs);  Nandom Agricultural Project of the Catholic Church; Traditional Authorities; District Assemblies; District Agricultural Development Unit of Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).

Specify the framework within which the technology was promoted

• Local initiative
• Other (please specify)

Specify:

Regional initiative by Environmental Protection Agency Regional Offices in the three Northern Regions.  The Traditional Authorities in some Paramouncy in the three Northern regions of Ghana and some local communities.

Was the participation of local stakeholders, including CSOs, fostered in the development of the technology?

Yes

List local stakeholders involved:

Farmer Based Groups; Communities; Traditional Authorities; Metropolitan, Municipal, District Assembly Authorities; Herbalist;  Regional Environmental Management Committees and Community Environmental Management Committees.|

For the stakeholders listed above, specify their role in the design, introduction, use and maintenance of the technology, if any.

Prominent local herbalists took a leading role in the establishment of a reserve area where medicinal plants could be protected and reintroduced;
Through the support of the traditional authorities of the chiefs, the CEMCs lay down regulations or byelaws to control natural resource use and punish abuses such as the setting of fires or the unauthorised felling of trees, burning of charcoal or harvesting of plant products. Failing to act to extinguish a fire is also an offence, regardless of who started it.
EPA and the Nandom Agricultural Project of the Catholic Church among other government agencies provide technical  support to the communities involve in the non-burning programme.|

Was the population living in the location and/or nearby involved in the development of the technology?

Yes

By means of what?

• Consultation
• Participatory approaches
• Other (please specify)

Specify:

Enactment and enforcement of environmental rules and regulations.  Creation of fire belts.

Describe on-site impacts (the major two impacts by category)

Reduce frequency of bush fires and increased plant biomass and biodiversity with thicker grass and woodland in reserve areas are plain to see.  There are reported cases of enhanced soil fertility in cultivated areas.
In some of the communities, it is reported that  wildlife are returning to such protected areas.|
It has improve the communal spirit within the communities, where non burning is being practiced. It has also enhanced the general conformance to local laws and more unity as a result of the empowerment and has been achieved through the successful management of the Natural Resources.  |
Improved soil fertility because of increased amounts of organic material on the soil surface.
Improve medicinal and other plant biodiversity over extensive areas; Thatching grass, rafters, avalability of pastures; shea nuts, dawadawa  pods and many other plant resources are more readily available than they used to be. Better availability of medicinal plants makes it easier for herbalists|
Increased soil fertility is reflected in higher yields within areas,where non burning is practiced and reduces the frequency of bush clearance for new farms that is promoting agricultural intensification.|
There are a lot of partnership being built among traditional authorities, government institutions and the communities.  There is ownership of the concept.|
Livestock are in better condition and graze closer to the villages, where the risk of theft is reduced.|

Describe the major two off-site (i.e. not occurring in the location but in the surrounding areas) impacts

Reduce soil siltation of reservoirs (dams and dugouts)and fresh water bodies. Labour out migration from the communities practicing the non-burning has reduced.  The has been an atitudinal change among the adjorning communities.
Adjourning communities are learning lessons and replicating innovations from non-burning communities; There is a shared resource used in the protected areas.

Impact on biodiversity and climate change

Explain the reasons:

There is improved soil fertility which leads to improved agricultural productivity and hence increased food security;  Reduced temperatures has reduced the vulnerability of humans to temperature related diseases e.g. Cerebro-spinal menegitis (CSM)
Increase vegetative covers to improve carbon sequestration.  Increased in both fauna and flora in the protected areas.  It protect catchment areas of water bodies; There is a high humidity within the non-burning communities.
There is an increase in vegetative cover which will lead to carbon sink; There is reduce impact of floods, wildfires and drought.|

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

No

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Yes

Where?

Goziiri|Zumaperi|Kanpuo|Modua|Shelilayilli|Nandom Tanchara|Lawra Tanchara|Zaazi|Berwong|Kuselle|Bano

Were incentives to facilitate the take up of the technology provided?

Were incentives to facilitate the take up of the technology provided?

Yes

Can you identify the three main conditions that led to the success of the presented best practice/technology?

Strong leadership at the community level;
Intensive sensitization of communities on the benefits of non-burning experiment
Enactment and enforcement of community rules and regulations;
Community ownership of the process

Replicability

In your opinion, the best practice/technology you have proposed can be replicated, although with some level of adaptation, elsewhere?

Yes

At which level?

• Local
• Sub-national
• National
• Subregional

Related to human resources

Capacity of local communities to manage natural resources has improved; The social value and social networks have improved;

Related to financial aspects

There is improved livelihood security; It has improved the agricultural value chain within the communities because agricultural productivity has increased.

Related to technical aspects

Community members have the institutional resources, the commitment and the capacity to enhance their natural resource management to achieve significant improvements in their livelihoods|