The contribution of modified taungya system to forest cover and livelihoods of forest-fringe communities: A case study of Worobong South Forest Reserve in Ghana
Authors: EBENEZER ASARE-KISSIEDU , AMEKA G. K. , ANNANG TED Y. 
Published: May 2021

Abstract. Ebenezer A, Ameka GK, Annang TY. 2018. The contribution of modified taunga system to forest cover and livelihoods of forest-fringe communities: a case study of Worobong South Forest Reserve in Ghana. Asian J Ethnobiol 1: 15-30. The purpose of this study was to consider the function of the MTS in assisting to forest recovery and in ameliorating subsistences of peasants within the Worobong South Forest Reserve (WSFR, Akim portion). Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) were utilized to examine the expanse of forest canopy decrease from 1990-2010. The analysis of the involvement of the MTS strategy on forest canopy recovery was also performed by analogizing the natural forest to the MTS plantation by utilizing the 100 m x 100 m square transect techniques and using the Simpson’s Index of Diversity. A socio-economic survey including semi-structured interviews was performed to find out the thinking of the MTS peasants in the Akwansrem, Feyiase and Miaso societies and forestry officials on forest recovery as well as the contribution of the MTS to livelihoods of peasants in the study area. The results of the study showed that the forest canopy in the WSFR had experienced various numbers of alteration and/or enhancement particularly in the closed forest canopy. The jungle canopy had declined by 0.41% and 0.17% in 1990-2000 and in 2000-2010 respectively. Nevertheless, in terms of forest vegetation categories, a principal alteration was examined within the closed canopy. Between 1990-2000, the closed canopy underwent a decline of 45.55% but it had an increase of 1.25% (41.4 ha) in 2000-2010. It was expected that there will be further enhanced in the closed canopy in 2010-2020 if current rate of recovery continues to grow. Results of the Simpson's Index of Diversity showed that the natural forest transect was more diverse (1-D = 0.93), in terms of variety and distribution, than the MTS transect (1-D = 0.41). And, stem number was nearly 50% higher than that of the MTS plantation. The results of the research showed that around 600 to 800 trees were planted by individual peasants annually on 0.8 ha of downgraded lands. The enhancement of closed forest canopy within WSFR was ascribed to the success of the MTS strategy. The results also signified that the subsistence of MTS peasants (concerning their access to livelihoods and farm products as well as their ability to bear the expense of the education of their children and to construct buildings) had raised. Still, fear of future expectations and continuity of the MTS, unbalanced distribution of MTS farms, wildfires, and illegal logging were several affairs considered as impendences to the strategy. As a result, several suggestions have emerged. Some of these were: ordinary evaluation of the contexture and spatial degree of the forest cover to keep track of alterations with the application of GIS and RS; The requirement to explain the directives and advantages of the MTS strategy to farming societies and; the implementation of laws to fulfill the policies that will guarantee continuous management of the forest.