ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Potentials of optimized hybrid system in powering off-grid macro base transmitter station site

This paper explores the possibility of hybridizing the diesel generator source system with renewable energy sources and demonstrates the potential of renewable energies to replace (partially) diesel as a source of power for mobile base station sites. The concept of hybridizing the diesel generator is to reduce both the operating cost and the quantity of different air pollutants. The patterns of load consumption by mobile base station are studied and suitably modeled for optimization using Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables (HOMER) software. The proposed Hybrid (Solar &amp; Hydro) + DG system was simulated using the model which results in four different topologies. The solution with the highest optimization value is considered to be the best energy option (solution) for the Base Station Site. From the simulation results, the PV/Hydro-Diesel system solution has the highest optimization value. It saves $15,961,777 and 70.553 tonnes of CO2 when compared with diesel only.

Source: UG
Poultry and policy in Ghana: Lessons from the periphery of an agricultural policy system

We analyze poultry-related policy documents from Ghana and ask how the problems identified and the actions proposed have changed over time. The analysis highlights the fact of limited and poor quality data, and associated uncertainty, ambiguity and poor specification of both problems and interventions. It also points to a long-term commitment to intensive commercial production as the preferred pathway to deliver more animal protein. However, in the face of persistent feed constraints and economic liberalization, imports of frozen chicken have sky-rocketed since the early 2000s, and a new pathway has come to dominate. We discuss this outcome and what it says more generally about policy around minor crops and livestock species. © The Authors 2017. Development Policy Review © 2017 Overseas Development Institute

Source: UG
Poultry health constraints in smallholder village poultry systems in Northern Ghana and Central Tanzania

Introduction: Smallholder poultry production is a major contributor to food security and rural livelihoods in low-and middle-income countries. However, infectious diseases limit improvements to smallholder poultry production and performance of the sector in general. Infectious diseases of poultry, especially viral diseases, have major impacts on the health and productivity of flocks and account for significant morbidities and mortalities of birds each year. Methods: This study utilized participatory epidemiology approaches to better understand the poultry health constraints and challenges faced by smallholder poultry producers in village poultry systems in Northern Ghana and Central Tanzania. Results: The results show dominance of small-scale semi-intensive and extensive scavenging poultry production systems in the study areas. Newcastle disease ranked as the highest cause of morbidity and mortality in chickens in the two countries. The disease occurred mainly during the months coinciding with the dry season in both countries. Other health challenges among poultry flocks included worm infestation, fowl pox, coryza, and coccidiosis. Producers, especially in rural locations, had poor access to veterinary services and critical inputs necessary for poultry production. In the Northern region of Ghana, producers lacked definitive diagnoses for sick poultry due to a shortage of veterinary personnel and diagnostic laboratories. Discussion: These challenges point to the need for increased investment in poultry disease control and prevention programs, particularly in rural areas. Interventions focused on expansion of veterinary and agricultural extension services and diagnostic laboratory capacity in rural areas and increased gender sensitive training to enhance smallholder knowledge in poultry husbandry and disease prevention measures will support the development of the smallholder village poultry systems. Tapping into the diverse genetic reservoir of local chicken ecotypes with enhanced resistance to Newcastle disease through genomic selection, coupled with models for enhancing ND vaccination supply and use in the rural areas are potential future avenues for addressing ND constraints to production

Source: UG
Poultry litter and cow dung biochar as P sources for cowpea cultivation in two Ghanaian soils

Introduction: The main constraint to cowpea, Vigna unguiculata, production in West Africa is unavailability of applied phosphorus due to ligand exchange with clay minerals and precipitation reactions facilitated by low pH and low organic matter. Materials and methods: To overcome this challenge, cow dung biochar (CB) and poultry litter biochar (PB) were applied as P sources for cowpea cultivation in Plinthustult and Kandiustalf soil in Ghana. The biochar types and triple super phosphate (TSP) were applied to meet the standard phosphorus requirement (SPR) and ½ SPR of the soils. Basal K from KCl was added to the TSP treatment. In addition to a non-amended soil, the treatments were triplicated and arranged in a completely randomized design in a screen house for an efficacy trial using cowpea as the test crop. Moisture content was maintained at 80% field capacity. Results and discussion: Hundred cowpea seed weight was 20.3 g and 19.6 g for the TSP-amended Plinthustult at SPR and ½ SPR, respectively. This increased to 25.1 g and approximately 27 g at SPR and ½ SPR in the CB- and PB-amended Plinthustult, respectively. Hundred seed weight for TSP at both rates was similar in the two soils. The PB-amended Kandiustalf at SPR had seed with a weight of 27.02 g, 1.1 g heavier than the ½ SPR. The CB-amended Kandiustalf at both rates had 100 seeds weighing 25 g. Residual available P was 334.2 mg/kg and 213.2 mg/kg at SPR and ½ SPR, respectively, in the Plinthustult as opposed to a paltry 2.5 mg/kg at SPR in the TSP counterpart. The study recommends for the two biochar types to be applied at ½ SPR.

Source: UG
Poultry litter and cow dung biochar as P sources for cowpea cultivation in two Ghanaian soils

Introduction: The main constraint to cowpea, Vigna unguiculata, production in West Africa is unavailability of applied phosphorus due to ligand exchange with clay minerals and precipitation reactions facilitated by low pH and low organic matter. Materials and methods: To overcome this challenge, cow dung biochar (CB) and poultry litter biochar (PB) were applied as P sources for cowpea cultivation in Plinthustult and Kandiustalf soil in Ghana. The biochar types and triple super phosphate (TSP) were applied to meet the standard phosphorus requirement (SPR) and½SPR of the soils. Basal K from KCl was added to the TSP treatment. In addition to a non-amended soil, the treatments were triplicated and arranged in a completely randomized design in a screen house for an efficacy trial using cowpea as the test crop. Moisture content was maintained at 80% field capacity. Results and discussion: Hundred cowpea seed weight was 20.3 g and 19.6 g for the TSP-amended Plinthustult at SPR and ½ SPR, respectively. This increased to 25.1 g and approximately 27 g at SPR and ½ SPR in the CB- and PB-amended Plinthustult, respectively. Hundred seed weight for TSP at both rates was similar in the two soils. The PB-amended Kandiustalf at SPR had seed with a weight of 27.02 g, 1.1 g heavier than the ½ SPR. The CB-amended Kandiustalf at both rates had 100 seeds weighing 25 g. Residual available P was 334.2 mg/kg and 213.2 mg/kg at SPR and ½ SPR, respectively, in the Plinthustult as opposed to a paltry 2.5 mg/kg at SPR in the TSP counterpart. The study recommends for the two biochar types to be applied at ½ SPR.

Source: UG
Poverty and Crime: Uncovering the hidden face of sexual crimes in urban low-income communities.

Although the debate about the link between poverty and the incidence of urban crime in developing countries is complex, nowhere is the link more persuasive than in the urban low-income communities of these countries. Based on official police data, key informant interviews (KIIs), and focus group discussions (FGDs) from five low-income urban neighbourhoods in Ghana, we analyse the incidence and drivers of sexual crimes in urban low-income communities. The analysis revealed that sexual offences are one of the major crimes in Ghana, in spite of the legal and institutional frameworks to curb these acts. We argue that in urban low-income communities, poor housing (reflected in high room occupancy rates, overcrowding, and congestion) and poverty in general promote sexual crimes in such communities. Moreover, patriarchal attitudes serve to exacerbate particularly females’ exposure and vulnerability to sexual crimes. We recommend that policy measures to reduce sexual crimes should not focus exclusively on education and institutionalization of legal frameworks but also extend to poverty reduction programmes that include urban planning and slum housing upgrading.

Source: UG
Poverty and happiness: An examination of the factors influencing happiness among the extreme poor in rural Ghana

Every person desires some level of inner fulfilment at different stages of life and this could come from a combination of several factors including material and resource acquisition and social prestige. The challenge , however , is whether happiness levels across the different social strata are the same , especially among the poor and the neglected. Using data from the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty survey in Ghana, we analys e the fa ctors that influence happiness among the extreme poor. The positive and negative factors are discussed in the paper.

Source: UG
Poverty and HIV prevalence in Ghana: A geographical perspective

There is a widespread belief that poverty leads to the spread of HIV/AIDS. However, intra-country comparisons of the phenomenon have been limited. This study seeks to fill this gap by examining the relationship between poverty and HIV prevalence amongst the 10 administrative regions of Ghana. Based on the available data for poverty and HIV, certain distinct patterns emerge. For example, poverty levels are the highest in the three northern regions (Upper East, Upper West and Northern region) even though their HIV prevalence is one of the lowest. It clearly follows that there are more complex forces at work than just the effects of poverty alone. To unravel some of these puzzles, the paper proposes a key role for culture, globalization and geographical accessibility. In addition, it is suggested that local level studies in a multivariate framework have much to contribute to the identification and quantification of relevant relationships. © 2006 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Source: UG
The poverty and inequality nexus in Ghana: A decomposition analysis of household expenditure components

Purpose Understanding the linkages between poverty and inequality is vital to any sustainable development and poverty reduction strategies. In Ghana, while poverty has reduced significantly over the years, inequality has increased. The purpose of this paper is to examine the linkages between inequality in household expenditure components and overall inequality and poverty in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach Using microdata from the sixth round of the Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS 6) conducted in 2012/2013, marginal effects and elasticities were computed for both within- and between-component analysis. Findings The results suggest that, in general, reducing within-component inequality significantly reduces overall poverty and inequality in Ghana, compared with between-component inequality. Specifically, inequality in education and health expenditure components were the largest contributors to overall poverty and inequality. The findings imply that policies directed toward reducing within-component inequality will be more effective. Specifically, the findings of the study corroborate recent policies on education and health in Ghana aimed at inequality within these components. Sustaining and scaling up these policies will be a step in the right direction. Originality/value The study contributes to existing studies in several ways: first, this study becomes the first attempt to examine inequality-poverty nexus using household expenditure components in Ghana. Second, the use of expenditure in place of income is an addition to the literature. Income is usually subject to reporting biases and is minimal in expenditure. Finally, the findings highlight the need for poverty reduction strategies to focus on specific household components including education and health. Blanket interventions may not be effective in reducing inequality and poverty.

Source: UG
Poverty and socio-economic consequences of Buruli ulcer (Mycobacterium ulcerans) in the Ga West District of Ghana

The paper examines Buruli ulcer and its poverty and socio-economic ramifications in the Ga West District of Ghana. Although the disease has received public health attention, its impact on individuals, families and communities has not been given critical attention. The study found Buruli ulcer to be associated with deprived areas where poor socio-economic and infrastructural conditions are manifested in the lack of employable skills and low incomes. Also associated with the disease are those activities that interfere with the environment and make it a habitat for disease causing organisms. The study recommends good environmental management, improved water sources, early detection and treatment, and education, as the best measures to reduce morbidity and costs in the management of the disease.

Source: UG
Poverty and the environmental health agenda in a low-income city: The case of the greater accra metropolitan area (gama), ghana

A conceptual model that seeks to integrate these polar opposite perspectives is the Urban Environmental Transition (UET) model (McGranahan and Songsore, 1994; McGranahan et al, 1996; and McGranahan et al, 2001). The UET model argues that the nature of environmental problems in cities changes with levels of economic development. Cities have two general categories of environmental risk to human well-being. There are those that directly affect health and those that operate indirectly by impairing ecosystems that humanity depends on (Smith and Lee, 1993). As a general rule, the urban environmental hazards that are immediately health threatening are those found in poor homes, neighbourhoods and workplaces of cities in Africa and other developing countries. Among these are inadequate water supply and sanitation facilities, poor and crowded housing, smoky kitchens, insect infestation, contaminated food, piles of uncollected garbage and bad drainage (McGranahan and Songsore, 1994).

Source: UG
Poverty Implications of Agricultural Land Degradation in Ghana: An Economy-wide, Multimarket Model Assessment

An economy-wide, multimarket model is applied for Ghana and is used to assess the aggregate economic cost of agricultural soil erosion. To fill a gap in the literature regarding economic cost analysis of soil erosion, this paper also analyzes the poverty implications of land degradation. The model predicts that land degradation reduces agricultural income in Ghana by a total of US$4.2 billion over the period 2006–2015 and the national poverty rate will increase in 2015 by 5.4 percentage points. Moreover, soil loss causes a slowing of poverty reduction over time in the three northern regions, which currently have the highest poverty rates in the country. Sustainable land management (SLM) is the key to reducing agricultural soil loss. The present findings indicate that through the adoption of conventional SLM practices, the declining trend in land productivity can be reversed, and that use of a combination of conventional and modern SLM practices would generate an aggregate economic benefit of US$6.4 billion over the period 2006–2015. SLM practices would therefore substantially reduce poverty in Ghana, particularly in the three northern regions.

Source: UG
Poverty in Ghana is Basically a Rural Phenomenon: Are we Underestimating Urban Poverty?

Poverty in Ghana is generally described as a rural phenomenon. While this statement is widely quoted, little attention has been given to the methodology used in the measurement of poverty which leads to this conclusion. This article argues for a critical re-examination of this statement. While not underestimating the extent and depth of rural poverty, it argues that the present consumption-based approach used in estimating or measuring the level of poverty in Ghana is bias against urban areas, which may therefore underestimate urban poverty, and consequently the overall poverty level of the country. The article examines the poverty line setting methodology and the biases against urban areas, and the implications of underestimating urban poverty. It concludes that the bias against urban areas may be a logical extension of the ‘anti-urban’ development perspective, which has its roots in the urban bias thesis (the perception that urban areas have always been favoured in development policies and in the allocation of resources). It stressed that poverty reduction programmes such as the Ghana’s poverty reduction strategy papers (GPRSI&II) should place equal emphasis on both rural poverty and urban poverty

Source: UG
Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Role of Business Regulations, Policies and Institutions

The study investigates the impact of business regulations, policies and institutions on welfare in Sub-Saharan Africa. The HDI and GDP per capita are used as measures of welfare or poverty. The World Bank doing business indicators are used as business regulatory measures and the Country Policy and Institutional Assessment are also used as policies and institutional quality measures. The study employs systems GMM estimation technique in examining these relationships. The results show improved welfare in SSA countries to be associated with less burdensome regulations on starting business. The results reveal that merely pursing regulations in respect of business operations and closure such as those related to getting electricity, protecting minority interest, paying taxes and resolving insolvency as a strategy to improve welfare directly does not work unless done within a milieu of sound policies and institutions. There are however threshold values at which policy and institutional quality indexes can complement regulations to improve welfare. Following a formal sample-splitting, the study finds some differences in these relationships explained by the income status as well as the legal origin of the countries. Policy implications are well discussed.

Source: UG
“Poverty is madness”: Some insights from traditional African spirituality and mental health

This article is set in the Ghanaian context, which continues to be complex and changing. Ghana, formerly known as the Gold Coast, has been severely affected and shaped by its continuous contact with Western, Arabian, Asian as well as other cultures. The effects of these expressions have been as varied as the nature of the encounters. For example, while in some situations the encounter has been an exchange between indigenous Ghanaian thought forms with Western and the Arabian thought forms, as in the case of the current expressions of Christianity and Islam in Ghana, in other situations, especially in the economic, moral and political spheres, Western economic, moral and political ideologies have become predominant, influencing and controlling the daily lives of people. Inevitably, Ghana has become part of the global culture. Under intense pressure from complex modern processes, the core of the Ghanaian community is, to some extent, being torn asunder by modern factors such as the various effects of globalization, migration from the rural areas to the urban centers, immigration to other countries, bad governance, etc. In consequence, the society is gradually falling prey to individual acquisitiveness, excessive competition, and malicious envy and vile cupidity and godless commercialism even in religion. The national wealth, in its broad sense, is unevenly distributed in such a way that a few people are filthy rich while the majority of the people both in the rural and urban centers are shamefully poor, often living under harsh conditions. Some people are very frustrated and constantly live with the acceptance that they have totally failed in life. © Dwight N. Hopkins, Marjorie Lewis and contributors 2009. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
Poverty Politics and Governance of Potable Water Services: The Core-Periphery Syntax in Metropolitan Accra, Ghana

In developing countries, increasing urbanization amidst chronic financial constraints sharply limits the authorities’ ability to provide universal urban infrastructural services. This tendency creates complex networks of governance that remains largely understudied and not clearly understood. This article examines this nascent literature, focusing on Metropolitan Accra’s experience through the sustainable development goal lens: “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”. Based on the analysis of 26 in-depth interviews with key informants about the current processes, technologies and multiplicities of governance approaches, we demonstrate how the private sector does not only play a significant role in shaping the water dialogue but also has introduced its own modes of governance, which sometimes usurps preferences for public services. Ultimately, differences in procedural legalities and functionalities have spurred (un)healthy competition between the multiple governance modes, spearheaded by the private firms. Concluding, we caution that the multiplicity of management practices devoid of efficient and effective regulatory framework creates indecisive outcomes. Further, we suggest that the development of water-related capacity, both at the individual and institutional levels, will be fundamental in the realization of sustainable development goal 6 by 2030.

Source: UG
Poverty reduction and economic livelihood mobility in rural Sub‐Saharan Africa

This article uses household panel data for six countries in rural sub-Saharan Africa to study the dynamics of off-farm diversification rather than the ‘static’ analyses common in the related literature. It identifies drivers of economic livelihood mobility and implications for poverty reduction. The results show that on-farm specialization imposes considerable welfare costs on rural households. In most of the countries, income poverty reduction was highest for households that became diversified and lowest for those that became specialized. Yet, off-farm diversification entry is hampered by living in a female-headed household, old age, low farm productivity and poor rural infrastructure.

Source: UG
Poverty, inequality and governance: A global perspective

Review books or articles provide a critical and constructive analysis of existing published literature in a field, through summary, analysis, and comparison, often identifying specific gaps or problems and providing recommendations for future research. These are considered as secondary literature since they generally do not present new data from the author's experimental work. Review articles can be of three types, broadly speaking: literature reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. It also the researcher to stay abreast of new literature in the field.

Source: UG
Power difference and risk perception: Mapping vulnerability within the decision process of pregnant women towards clinical trial participation in an urban middle-income setting

The Epidemiology Department contributes to the mission of the institute through basic and applied epidemiological research on, but not limited to, malaria and other diseases of public health importance. It is also home to the Social Science Unit of the Institute, including the Health Support Centre for HIV/AIDS and other communicable and noncommunicable health problems.

Source: UG