Agricultural Land Use Change and Emerging Pattern of Livelihoods In Peri-Urban Wa, Ghana

Abstract

Fertile agricultural lands are disappearing in peri-urban areas due to encroachment from urban dwellers. This study, therefore, considered agricultural land use change and emerging patterns of livelihoods in the peri-urban areas in Wa, Ghana. The mixed research approach was deployed in the study. Specifically, the sequential explanatory mixed research constituted the study design. A sample of 408 household heads participated in the study. An interview schedule, observation guide, an interview guide and a group discussion guide were utilised in the collection of data. Quantitative data analysis entailed the use of change detection analysis, descriptive statistics, chi-square test of independence, Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, factor analysis, and binary logistic regression, while thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data. The study found that between 1986 and 2019, Wa township had expanded beyond its initial official boundaries and this manifested in the increase in the number of residential housing. Most households have had their farmlands reduced and, in some cases, some have lost it completely. It also emerged that expected economic returns and the availability of buyers motivated the selling of peri-urban lands. Besides, construction-related activities and petty trading resulted as new livelihood strategies. The study concluded that increased population and migration, largely exert pressure on peri-urban agricultural land in Wa. It is recommended that the Physical Planning Department should collaborate with local landowners to develop local plans for areas that are earmarked for sale to ensure that areas without local plans are not sold out, while traditional households should begin to adopt more non-farm income generating activities to enable them to step out of poverty.