IPSI Case Study Summary Sheet
Please submit this form along with your case study. We ask that you keep your responses here asconcise as possible. This information will be posted on the IPSI website unless otherwise requested.
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Basic Information
Title of case study (should be concise and within approximately 25 words)
Promotion of Community Resilience and Rights in Competing Landuse: Case Study of Atwima Mponua andAsutifi North Districts in Ghana
Submitting IPSI member organization(s)Resource Conservation Initiative (RESCONI)

Other contributing organization(s) (IPSI members and/or non-members)-

Author(s) and affiliation(s)Kwabena Akyeampong Boakye, Resource Conservation Initiative (RESCONI)
Fredua Agyeman, Resource Conservation Initiative (RESCONI)
Isaac Kwabena Osei, Resource Conservation Initiative (RESCONI)
Raymond Owusu-Achiaw, Conservation Alliance International
Larry Akpalu, Resource Conservation Initiative (RESCONI)
Kingsley Severine Fitz-Gerald, Proforest-Africa Region, Ghana.
Format of case study (manuscript or audiovisual)
Manuscript Language
Keywords (3-5 key concepts included in the case study)
Cocoa, Farming, Land Use, Mining, Resilience, Rights
Date of submission (or update, if this is an update of an existing case study)
Web link (of the case study or lead organization if
www.resconi.org

Englishavailable for more information)

Geographical Information
Country (where site(s) or activities described in the case study are located – can be multiple, or even “global”)
Ghana
Location(s) (within the country or countries – leave blank if specific location(s) cannot be identified)Asutifi North and Atwima Mponua Districts
Longitude/latitude or Google Maps link (if location is identified)
6.970413, -2.379872 and 6.623488, -2.039863
Ecosystem(s) (please place an “x” in all appropriate boxes)
ForestX
Grassland
Agricultural
X
In-land water
CoastalDryland
Mountain
Urban/peri-urban X
Other (Please specify)
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area (within 50 words)
The case study districts, Atwima Mponua District and Asutifi North District are located in the Ashanti and Ahafo
Regions of Ghana respectively with geographical size of 281,920ha. The study area is mostly agrarian economy
with several biodiversity hotspots containing several endemic and threatened species of conservation concerns
locally and internationally.
Description of human-nature interactions in the area (land-use, traditional resource management practices etc. – within 50
words)The project area is rich in biodiversity and minerals and thus attracts both natives and migrants for their livelihood
sustenance which often results in competing land uses. The involvement of the local communities in the resource
management practices is enhanced through a multi-stakeholder approach called the Community Resource Management
Areas (CREMAs).

Contents
Note: The following fields are used for information about activities described in the case study or the production of the case study itself,and contents may vary depending on the nature of the case study. For example, a case study about on-the-ground activities may include
the rationale, objectives etc. for the activities; a case study about a SEPLS-related policy may describe the policymaking process; or acase study describing a SEPLS may address particular practices used there. Please make an effort to fill as many fields as possible.

Status (“ongoing” orongoing
Period (MM/YY to MM/YY)
10/2022-12/2029“completed”)
Rationale (why activities or policies described, or information shared in the case study are needed – within 50 words)
In the project areas there is biodiversity loss with negative consequences on the ecosystem and impaired
livelihoods that exerts impacts that stimulate climate change. This state conflicts with national strategies andinternational commitments to combat biodiversity loss and thus the project activities are expected to contributeto finding solutions.
Objectives (goals of activities or policies described, or of producing the case study – within 50 words)
The goal of the study was to promote community resilience and rights in competing land use for mining,
agriculture and forest utilization and objectives were to examine land cover and land use patterns; createawareness on unsustainable exploitation and biodiversity conservation; and setting-up of alternative livelihoods
interventions.
Activities and/or practices employed (within 50 words)
The project adopted a multi-stakeholder approach comprising public sector agencies, academia, private sector,
traditional authorities, communities and CSOs/NGOs with stake and interest within the project sites to undertakeintervention activities centred on community education, forest and ecosystem restoration and green alternative
livelihoods.
Monitoring methodology (e.g. GIS-based monitoring, citizen science, Resilience Indicators in SEPLS, survey - within 40 words)
The study adopted concurrent mixed-methodological survey approach to examine the competing interest
between farming, mining, and forest resources utilization and also complemented by geospatial analysis tomonitor land use and land cover change over 30-year period for the study area.
Results (within 50 words)
The study revealed that there has been a 34.22% decline in closed forests and a 59.36% decline in open forests within Asutifi
North District. Similarly, closed forests within Atwima Mponua District have reduced by 48.44%, while open forests have
reduced by 42.59%. The major threats were illegal logging and mining.

Lessons learned (factors in success or failure, challenges and opportunities – within 40 words)
The competing interest from mining, agriculture and forest utilization was addressed through multi-stakeholder
approach to create awareness for cross-sectoral links for resource exploitation; promote ecosystem restorationand sustainable best practices for the protection of the Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes (SEPLs).
Funding (any relevant information about funding of activities or projects described in the case study)
The first phase of the project which involves research and knowledge generation was funded by Ford Foundation.
The on-going second phase of ecosystem restoration is funded under the One Tree Planted for TerraFund for
AFR100 Program. The next phase which includes promotion of green alternative livelihoods for women andlandscape monitoring using ‘Resilience Indicators in SEPLS’ are yet to be funded.

Contributions to Global Agendas
CBD Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (https://www.cbd.int/gbf/targets/)
Please place an "x" under a number to rate how much this case study contributes to each CBD Target.
Note 1: The number scale goes from 1, the lowest rating, to 5, the highest rating. N/A indicates “not applicable”.
Note 2: Please only mark those to which the case study has or will actually contribute, not those to which it could potentiallycontribute in the future.

Contribution
TargetDescription
1

1. Reducing threats to biodiversity

1

3

Ensure that all areas are under participatory, integrated and biodiversity inclusive
spatial planning and/or effective management processes addressing land- andsea-use change, to bring the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance,
including ecosystems of high ecological integrity, close to zero by 2030, while
respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.

2

Ensure that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of areas of degraded terrestrial, inland
water, and marine and coastal ecosystems are under effective restoration, inorder to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, ecologicalintegrity and connectivity.

3

Ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of terrestrial and inland
water areas, and of marine and coastal areas, especially areas of particularimportance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively
conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected andequitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based
conservation measures, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories, whereapplicable, and integrated into wider landscapes, seascapes and the ocean, while
ensuring that any sustainable use, where appropriate in such areas, is fully
consistent with conservation outcomes, recognizing and respecting the rights ofindigenous peoples and local communities, including over their traditional
territories.

4

Ensure urgent management actions to halt human induced extinction of known
threatened species and for the recovery and conservation of species, in particularthreatened species, to significantly reduce extinction risk, as well as to maintainand restore the genetic diversity within and between populations of native, wildand domesticated species to maintain their adaptive potential, including throughin situ and ex situ conservation and sustainable management practices, andeffectively manage human-wildlife interactions to minimize human-wildlife
conflict for coexistence.

5

Ensure that the use, harvesting and trade of wild species is sustainable, safe andlegal, preventing overexploitation, minimizing impacts on non-target species andecosystems, and reducing the risk of pathogen spillover, applying the ecosystemapproach, while respecting and protecting customary sustainable use byindigenous peoples and local communities.

62

Eliminate, minimize, reduce and or mitigate the impacts of invasive alien species
on biodiversity and ecosystem services by identifying and managing pathways of

4

x

x

x

x

x

5

N/A

2. Meeting people’ s needs through sustainable use and benefit-sharing

the introduction of alien species, preventing the introduction and establishmentof priority invasive alien species, reducing the rates of introduction andestablishment of other known or potential invasive alien species by at least 50 per
cent by 2030, and eradicating or controlling invasive alien species, especially inpriority sites, such as islands.

7

Reduce pollution risks and the negative impact of pollution from all sources by
2030, to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity and ecosystem functions andservices, considering cumulative effects, including: (a) by reducing excess
nutrients lost to the environment by at least half, including through more
efficient nutrient cycling and use; (b) by reducing the overall risk from pesticides
and highly hazardous chemicals by at least half, including through integrated pest
management, based on science, taking into account food security and livelihoods;
and (c) by preventing, reducing, and working towards eliminating plastic
pollution.

8

Minimize the impact of climate change and ocean acidification on biodiversity
and increase its resilience through mitigation, adaptation, and disaster risk
reduction actions, including through nature-based solution and/or ecosystembased approaches, while minimizing negative and fostering positive impacts ofclimate action on biodiversity.

9

Ensure that the management and use of wild species are sustainable, thereby
providing social, economic and environmental benefits for people, especiallythose in vulnerable situations and those most dependent on biodiversity,
including through sustainable biodiversity-based activities, products and services
that enhance biodiversity, and protecting and encouraging customary sustainable
use by indigenous peoples and local communities.

10

Ensure that areas under agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry are
managed sustainably, in particular through the sustainable use of biodiversity,
including through a substantial increase of the application of biodiversity friendly
practices, such as sustainable intensification, agroecological and other innovative
approaches, contributing to the resilience and long-term efficiency andproductivity of these production systems, and to food security, conserving andrestoring biodiversity and maintaining nature’s contributions to people, including
ecosystem functions and services.

11

Restore, maintain and enhance nature’s contributions to people, including
ecosystem functions and services, such as the regulation of air, water andclimate, soil health, pollination and reduction of disease risk, as well as protection
from natural hazards and disasters, through nature-based solutions and/or
ecosystem-based approaches for the benefit of all people and nature.

12

Significantly increase the area and quality, and connectivity of, access to, andbenefits from green and blue spaces in urban and densely populated areas
sustainably, by mainstreaming the conservation and sustainable use of
biodiversity, and ensure biodiversity-inclusive urban planning, enhancing native
biodiversity, ecological connectivity and integrity, and improving human healthand well-being and connection to nature, and contributing to inclusive and

x

x

x

3. Tools and solutions for implementation and mainstreaming

sustainable urbanization and to the provision of ecosystem functions andservices.

13

Take effective legal, policy, administrative and capacity-building measures at alllevels, as appropriate, to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits thatarise from the utilization of genetic resources and from digital sequence
information on genetic resources, as well as traditional knowledge associatedwith genetic resources, and facilitating appropriate access to genetic resources,and by 2030, facilitating a significant increase of the benefits shared, in
accordance with applicable international access and benefit-sharing instruments.

14

Ensure the full integration of biodiversity and its multiple values into policies,
regulations, planning and development processes, poverty eradication strategies,
strategic environmental assessments, environmental impact assessments and, as
appropriate, national accounting, within and across all levels of government andacross all sectors, in particular those with significant impacts on biodiversity,
progressively aligning all relevant public and private activities, and fiscal andfinancial flows with the goals and targets of this framework.
Take legal, administrative or policy measures to encourage and enable business,and in particular to ensure that large and transnational companies and financial
institutions:(a) Regularly monitor, assess, and transparently disclose their risks, dependencies
and impacts on biodiversity, including with requirements for all large as well astransnational companies and financial institutions along their operations, supply
and value chains, and portfolios;

15(b) Provide information needed to consumers to promote sustainableconsumption patterns;(c) Report on compliance with access and benefit-sharing regulations andmeasures, as applicable;
in order to progressively reduce negative impacts on biodiversity, increase
positive impacts, reduce biodiversity-related risks to business and financial
institutions, and promote actions to ensure sustainable patterns of production.

16

Ensure that people are encouraged and enabled to make sustainableconsumption choices, including by establishing supportive policy, legislative or
regulatory frameworks, improving education and access to relevant and accurate
information and alternatives, and by 2030, reduce the global footprint ofconsumption in an equitable manner, including through halving global foodwaste, significantly reducing overconsumption and substantially reducing waste
generation, in order for all people to live well in harmony with Mother Earth.

17

Establish, strengthen capacity for, and implement in all countries, biosafetymeasures as set out in Article 8(g) of the Convention on Biological Diversity andmeasures for the handling of biotechnology and distribution of its benefits as set
out in Article 19 of the Convention.

18

Identify by 2025, and eliminate, phase out or reform incentives, including
subsidies, harmful for biodiversity, in a proportionate, just, fair, effective andxequitable way, while substantially and progressively reducing them by at least$500 billion per year by 2030, starting with the most harmful incentives, and scale
up positive incentives for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
Substantially and progressively increase the level of financial resources from all
sources, in an effective, timely and easily accessible manner, including domestic,
international, public and private resources, in accordance with Article 20 of theConvention, to implement national biodiversity strategies and action plans,
mobilizing at least $200 billion per year by 2030, including by:(a)
Increasing total biodiversity related international financial resources fromdeveloped countries, including official development assistance, and fromcountries that voluntarily assume obligations of developed country Parties, todeveloping countries, in particular the least developed countries and small island
developing States, as well as countries with economies in transition, to at least$20 billion per year by 2025, and to at least $30 billion per year by 2030;(b)
Significantly increasing domestic resource mobilization, facilitated by the
preparation and implementation of national biodiversity finance plans or similar
instruments according to national needs, priorities and circumstances;

19(c)Leveraging private finance, promoting blended finance, implementing
strategies for raising new and additional resources, and encouraging the private
sector to invest in biodiversity, including through impact funds and other
instruments;(d)Stimulating innovative schemes such as payment for ecosystem services,
green bonds, biodiversity offsets and credits, and benefit-sharing mechanisms,with environmental and social safeguards;(e)
Optimizing co-benefits and synergies of finance targeting the biodiversity
and climate crises;(f)Enhancing the role of collective actions, including by indigenous peoples
and local communities, Mother Earth centric actions[1] and non-market-based
approaches including community based natural resource management and civilsociety cooperation and solidarity aimed at the conservation of biodiversity;(g)Enhancing the effectiveness, efficiency and transparency of resource
provision and use;

20

Strengthen capacity-building and development, access to and transfer oftechnology, and promote development of and access to innovation and technicaland scientific cooperation, including through South‑South, North-South andtriangular cooperation, to meet the needs for effective implementation,
particularly in developing countries, fostering joint technology development andjoint scientific research programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of
biodiversity and strengthening scientific research and monitoring capacities,
commensurate with the ambition of the goals and targets of the Framework.

21

Ensure that the best available data, information and knowledge are accessible todecision makers, practitioners and the public to guide effective and equitable
governance, integrated and participatory management of biodiversity, and tostrengthen communication, awareness-raising, education, monitoring, researchand knowledge management and, also in this context, traditional knowledge,
innovations, practices and technologies of indigenous peoples and local
communities should only be accessed with their free, prior and informed
consent,[2] in accordance with national legislation.

22

Ensure the full, equitable, inclusive, effective and gender-responsive
representation and participation in decision-making, and access to justice andinformation related to biodiversity by indigenous peoples and local communities,
respecting their cultures and their rights over lands, territories, resources, andtraditional knowledge, as well as by women and girls, children and youth, andpersons with disabilities and ensure the full protection of environmental humanrights defenders.

23

Ensure gender equality in the implementation of the Framework through agender-responsive approach, where all women and girls have equal opportunityand capacity to contribute to the three objectives of the Convention, including byrecognizing their equal rights and access to land and natural resources and theirfull, equitable, meaningful and informed participation and leadership at all levelsof action, engagement, policy and decision-making related to biodiversity.

x

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs)
Please place an “x” in the “direct” or “indirect” boxes next to any of the UN Sustainable Development Goals to which the work
described in this case study contributes as appropriate. Note: please mark only those that the case actually has made or is making acontribution, not those to which it could make a potential contribution in the future.
SDG
Description
DirectIndirect

End poverty in all its forms everywherex

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainableagriculturex

Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning
opportunities for all
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girlsx

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive
employment, and decent work for all
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, andfoster innovation
Reduce inequality within and among countries

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impactsxConserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable
development
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably
manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, andhalt biodiversity lossx

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide accessto justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership forsustainable developmentx