ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Clean cooking transition in Ghana: Challenges, opportunities, and strategic pathways for sustainable development

This study evaluated the challenges and opportunities for clean household cooking transition in Ghana, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals of health, affordable clean energy and climate action. Through a mixed methods approach integrating national statistics, policy analysis, and case studies, spatial and socioeconomic disparities in clean cooking access were evaluated to assess the role of cultural, financial, and infrastructural barriers. The findings show that despite government efforts like the Gyapa Improved Cookstove project and National Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) Program, only 31 % of Ghanaians have access to clean cooking. Affordability remains a challenge to clean cooking as low-income households spend 3.1 % of their income on LPG compared to 0.7 % on wood. Other barriers include fragmented supply chains, limited access to modern fuels, inadequate infrastructure, and sociocultural preferences. Regional disparities persist, with northern Ghana’s average household income (USD 1287 - 2276) limiting access to modern fuels compared to southern regions (USD 2144 - 6425). Successful models from Rwanda (Inyenyeri pellet cookstoves) and Kenya (pay-as-you-go LPG) projects highlight scalable solutions. Context-specific strategies are proposed to accelerate clean cooking transition. These strategies include scaling financial mechanisms such as carbon credit programs and rental or leasing schemes to reduce the cost of clean cooking, establishing local manufacturing firms, and behavioral initiatives addressing cookstove stacking practices and driving long-term adoption of clean cooking technologies. Energy policy revisions and regulatory frameworks must prioritize renewable energy integration for off-grid communities and strengthen the monitoring of policies, including Ghana’s Renewable Energy Master Plan. By addressing these challenges and leveraging emerging opportunities, Ghana can reduce household air pollution, mitigate deforestation, and ensure equitable clean cooking access to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This study provides actionable insights and strategies for policymakers and stakeholders to accelerate clean cooking transitions, emphasizing the need for holistic, collaborative governance, financing innovation, and culturally tailored interventions.

Source: UG
Clean delivery practices in rural northern Ghana: A qualitative study of community and provider knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs systems

Abstract Background Knowledge, attitudes and practices of community members and healthcare providers in rural northern Ghana regarding clean delivery are not well understood. This study explores hand washing/use of gloves during delivery, delivering on a clean surface, sterile cord cutting, appropriate cord tying, proper cord care following delivery, and infant bathing and cleanliness. Methods In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using NVivo 9.0. Results 253 respondents participated, including women with newborn infants, grandmothers, household and compound heads, community leaders, traditional birth attendants, and formally trained health care providers. There is widespread understanding of the need for clean delivery to reduce the risk of infection to both mothers and their babies during and shortly after delivery. Despite this understanding, the use of gloves during delivery and hand washing during and after delivery were mentioned infrequently. The need for a clean delivery surface was raised repeatedly, including explicit discussion of avoiding delivering in the dirt. Many activities to do with cord care involved non-sterile materials and practices: 1) Cord cutting was done with a variety of tools, and the most commonly used were razor blades or scissors; 2) Cord tying utilized a variety of materials, including string, rope, thread, twigs, and clamps; and 3) Cord care often involved applying traditional salves to the cord - including shea butter, ground shea nuts, local herbs, local oil, or &#8220;red earth sand.&#8221; Keeping babies and their surroundings clean was mentioned repeatedly as an important way to keep babies from falling ill. Conclusions This study suggests a widespread understanding in rural northern Ghana of the need for clean delivery. Nonetheless, many recommended clean delivery practices are ignored. Overarching themes emerging from this study included the increasing use of facility-based delivery, the disconnect between healthcare providers and the community, and the critical role grandmothers play in ensuring clean delivery practices. Future interventions to address clean delivery and prevention of neonatal infections include educating healthcare providers about harmful traditional practices so they are specifically addressed, strengthening facilities, and incorporating influential community members such as grandmothers to ensure success.

Source: UG
Clean delivery practices in rural northern Ghana: A qualitative study of community and provider knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs

Background: Knowledge, attitudes and practices of community members and healthcare providers in rural northern Ghana regarding clean delivery are not well understood. This study explores hand washing/use of gloves during delivery, delivering on a clean surface, sterile cord cutting, appropriate cord tying, proper cord care following delivery, and infant bathing and cleanliness.Methods: In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using NVivo 9.0.Results: 253 respondents participated, including women with newborn infants, grandmothers, household and compound heads, community leaders, traditional birth attendants, and formally trained health care providers. There is widespread understanding of the need for clean delivery to reduce the risk of infection to both mothers and their babies during and shortly after delivery. Despite this understanding, the use of gloves during delivery and hand washing during and after delivery were mentioned infrequently. The need for a clean delivery surface was raised repeatedly, including explicit discussion of avoiding delivering in the dirt. Many activities to do with cord care involved non-sterile materials and practices: 1) Cord cutting was done with a variety of tools, and the most commonly used were razor blades or scissors; 2) Cord tying utilized a variety of materials, including string, rope, thread, twigs, and clamps; and 3) Cord care often involved applying traditional salves to the cord - including shea butter, ground shea nuts, local herbs, local oil, or " red earth sand." Keeping babies and their surroundings clean was mentioned repeatedly as an important way to keep babies from falling ill.Conclusions: This study suggests a widespread understanding in rural northern Ghana of the need for clean delivery. Nonetheless, many recommended clean delivery practices are ignored. Overarching themes emerging from this study included the increasing use of facility-based delivery, the disconnect between healthcare providers and the community, and the critical role grandmothers play in ensuring clean delivery practices. Future interventions to address clean delivery and prevention of neonatal infections include educating healthcare providers about harmful traditional practices so they are specifically addressed, strengthening facilities, and incorporating influential community members such as grandmothers to ensure success. © 2012 Moyer et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Source: UG
Cleavage of macromolecule (protein/polysaccharide)-phenolic bond in soybean cell wall through Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus helviticus mixed culture solid-state fermentation for chlorogenic acid extraction

Out of the available dietary sources use for chlorogenic acid extraction, soybean is new and cheap that could offer cost-effective chlorogenic acid production under solid-state fermentation (SSF). Consequently, the study aimed at investigating the cleavage of protein/carbohydrate-phenolic bond in heilong48 soybean (HS) variety via solid-state fermentation by Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus helviticus mixed culture for chlorogenic acid extraction with high yield and increased biological activity. A simplistic two-pot bioproduct optimization approach was used; first, screening (Plackett-Burman design) of SSF conditions and second, optimizing (Box Behnken design) the significant SSF conditions obtained from the former design. The liquid-solid (liquid:solid) ratio of 32:68 (0.47), incubation time of 48 h, pH of 5, and temperature of 50 ◦C were the best-optimized SSF conditions obtained from the chronological combinatory screening and optimization methods. These conditions gave a satisfactory SSF model, and correspondingly acceptable chlorogenic acid yield (9.20 ± 0.17 mg/g), fermentation efficiency (37.26 ± 0.73%), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical-scavenging activity (DPPH) (65.21 ± 2.05 μmol AA eq/g dry sample) results. The L. casei and L. helviticus mixed culture fermented heilong48 soybean (MCFHS) sample (under optimized SSF conditions) had high (p < 0.05) chlorogenic acid yield and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical-scavenging activity than the raw heilong48 soybean flour (RHSF) sample. The effectiveness of the optimized solid-state fermentation conditions on the structural modifications of heilong48 soybean sample was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared results.

Source: UG
Clergy‑Perpetrated Sexual Abuse in Ghana: A Media Content Analysis of Survivors, Ofenders, and Ofence Characteristics

While there are no ofcial data and published studies on clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse (CPSA) from Ghana, local media reports continue to show worrying trends of the phenomenon. We drew on 73 media reports from January 2000 to March 2019, to describe the ofence characteristics and profles of the perpetrators and survi vors of CPSA in Ghana. The fndings showed females aged 10–19 as predominant survivors. The perpetrators were all males found guilty of lone rape, incest, defle ment, indecent assault, sodomy, attempted rape, or gang rape. A preventive measure could involve streamlining the recruitment, training, and leadership structures of the church.

Source: UG
Client power and access to quality health care: an assessment of Ghana's health insurance system

Ghana’s health service delivery is characterized by inadequate institutions and lack of accountability. One of the reasons for the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Ghana was to facilitate citizen participation and ownership of the health service delivery system. Yet, this aspect of the scheme has often been overlooked. We examine how the NHIS and its related institutions perform the role of public oversight over frontline providers to ensure quality services. The main findings are: (i) there is improvement in the purchasing power of clients (policyholders use insurance card as a purchasing voucher to seek health care);(ii) competition among frontline providers generated by the National Health Insurance Authority’s accreditation procedures ensures institutionalization of quality services for clients; and (iii) related institutions under the scheme, educate and mobilize the people and build up communal power which ensures that communities act jointly to demand quality services. We conclude that creating institutional space for direct participation of users and citizens in general is a robust means of concurrently empowering citizens and providing an avenue by which providers may be sanctioned, thus making them more responsive to users.

Source: UG
Climate Change Adaptation: An Ecosystem-Based Approach for Livelihood Improvement of Fringe Communities around Worobong South Forest Reserve in Ghana

Anthropogenic and climate-induced change can potentially impact negatively on direct dependents of forest ecosystem services. To help build resilient societies, we examined the vulnerability of ecosystem-dependent communities in the Worobong South Forest Reserve (WSFR). We also examined climate variability impacts on forests and further suggested ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) strategies for livelihood improvements in the study area. The reserve can be found in the Eastern region of Ghana. We administered 250 questionnaires as well as studied time series data for temperature and rainfall with satellite images using the mixed method approach. The types of questionnaires used were open-ended and closed-ended semi structured questionnaires. The study also involved a focus group discussion and the development of trend analysis of relationships between the two data sets in 2016. Our results show that respondents perceived variation in average annual temperature and rainfall over the past few decades as the main reasons for the decline in the supply of bush meat, freshwater, tree barks, and leaves in the study area. The results of the questionnaire corroborated those of the data for the time series obtained from the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMeT) which is correlated with changes in the structure of (WSFR). To build resilient livelihoods and ecosystems, residents suggested strategies such as intensification of agroforestry systems with gain sharing arrangements, forest regulation enforcement, and bushfire control as ways to sustain the forests in the WSFR. We conclude that any measure to develop any climate change resilient mechanism in the WSFR should include those suggestions from residents

Source: UG
Climate change and cerebrospinal meningitis in the Ghanaian meningitis belt

Cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) is one of the infectious diseases likely to be affected by climate change. Although there are a few studies on the climate change-CSM nexus, none has considered perceptions of community members. However, understanding public perception in relation to a phenomenon is very significant for the design of effective communication and mitigation strategies as well as coping and adaptation strategies. This paper uses focus group discussions (FGDs) to fill this knowledge lacuna. Results show that although a few elderly participants ascribed fatal causes (disobedience to gods, ancestors, and evil spirits) to CSM infections during FGDs, majority of participants rightly linked CSM infections to dry, very hot and dusty conditions experienced during the dry season. Finally, community members use a suite of adaptation options to curb future CSM epidemics. © 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Source: UG
Climate change and farmers’ adaptive capacity to strategic innovations: the case of northern Ghana

Northern Ghana is noted for perennial low and varying agricultural production and this is manifest by persistent vulnerability of inhabitants (mostly farmers) to food insecurity. The low agricultural production has been linked to effects of climate change. New technologies and cultivation practices aimed at enabling farmers to maximise their production to reduce risks associated with changes in climatic conditions in agriculture have been introduced in Northern Ghana. The nagging question is ‘“what influences the adaptive capacities of farmers to innovations introduced to them with the advent of climate variability’? This study has therefore been motivated by the interest in finding the determinants of adaptive capacity of farmers to various innovations targeted at adaptation to climate change and variability. The influence of education on the adaptive capacity of farmers to dugout construction and improvement suggest education will only make a difference for those with low adaptive capacity. This result, which also holds for the innovation on organic matter and composting, suggests that there is a threshold below which education or access to financial services exerts a positive influence on a farmer’s adaptive capacity. Technology appears to widen the gap between the different adaptive capacity categories of farm households.

Source: UG
Climate Change and Health: Perspectives From Ghana.

Climate change is impacting many aspects of human life in many ways. In Ghana, climate change knowledge remains low and discussions linking climate change and health are scarce. In this paper, authors contribute to the shaping of discussions about climate and health with a focus on how climate change increases certain ailments. First, the paper addresses the need for research in Ghanaian communities to link climate change and health. Second, the paper suggests the development of policies to address the link. Third, public health educators are advised in this paper to educate the public.

Source: UG
Climate change and health: research challenges for vulnerable populations? In: McLellan Faith (ed.) Global Forum for Health Research, Young Voices in Research for Health, 2008. Climate change and health: research challenges for vulnerable populations

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
Climate change and internal migration intentions in the forest-savannah transition zone of Ghana

Migration is at the centre of demographic research on the population-environment nexus. Increasing concerns about the impacts of environmental events on human population are fuelling interest on the relationship between migration and environmental change. Using data from the Climate Change Collective Learning and Observatory Network Ghana project, we employ binary logistic regression to examine migration intentions of households in response to major community stressors including climate-related ones. The results indicate that the type of community stressor that affects households most does not differentiate migration intentions in Ghana's forest-savannah transition zone: Even though the majority of the respondents mentioned climate-related events as the stressor that affects them the most, such events do not appear to directly explain migration intentions. However, socio-demographic factors such as age, household size and current migration status are significant predictors of migration intentions, with younger household heads, heads of migrant households and heads of smaller households being relatively more likely to have migration intentions than other household heads. We conclude that migration drivers are multifaceted and deserve further research because even in areas with perceived environmental stress, climate-related events may not be the primary motivation for migration intentions. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Source: UG
Climate Change and Nutrition in Africa

Climate change is a threat to Africa, one of the most vulnerable regions to climate variability and change, due to its sensitive economies, multiple stresses, low resilience, endemic poverty, weak institutions, recurrent droughts, complex emergencies, and conflicts. Climate impacts African populations, economies, and the need for emergency resources. Climate change exacerbates undernutrition and undermines efforts to reduce poverty and the resilience of vulnerable populations, decreasing their ability to cope and adapt to negative consequences of climate change and inhibiting their economic growth, particularly in sub-Saharan countries. Recent drought-triggered famine in Somalia spurred food crises in other countries, demonstrating the consequences that may come with the increased frequency of extreme weather events. This article reviews the existing research on climate change and variability; its impacts on nutrition security in Africa, focusing on sub-Saharan Africa; and adaptation and mitigation strategies to address these challenges. This article identifies research needs in nutrition and related sectors to address the impacts that climate change will have on nutrition security in Africa and adaptation and mitigation strategies over the next 10–15 years.

Source: UG
Climate change and shift in cropping system: from cocoa to maize-based cropping system in Wenchi area of Ghana

A study was conducted in Wenchi Municipality in the forest/savanna transitional agro-ecological zone of Ghana to analyse the past and present cropping systems and to identify the key drivers responsible for the shift. We used key informant and semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and field observations for data collection. Historical analyses of the present and past cropping systems indicated that over the past forty years, there has been a shift from cocoa based to maize based cropping system. The shift in the cropping system was prompted by decline in the yield of cocoa and the difficulty in establishing new cocoa farms as a result of changing rainfall pattern, frequent bushfires and increase in the dry season. Other factors attributed to the shift by farmers included land tenure, soil fertility decline and vegetation change. Strategies being used by farmers to adapt to the changing climate and variability include planting of drought tolerant crops such as cassava, yam and maize and adjusting planting dates of crops to coincide with the onset of the rains. The study indicates that future shift in cropping system from maize to cocoa-based system is unlikely due to deforestation activities and the prevailing climatic conditions.

Source: UG