Multi-stakeholder actors in resource management in Ghana: Dynamics of community-state collaboration in resource use management of the Mole National Park, Larabanga

Abstract

Sustainable forest resource management through state-community collaboration has taken center stage over the past decades in resource management discourses. In Ghana, forest reserves are observed to be on the decline due to poaching and encroachment by fringe communities. This study aims to contribute to the literature gap by examining the dynamics of community-state collaboration in forest resource management in the Mole National Park. The study employed a qualitative case study, using key informant interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs). Purposive sampling was used to recruit 20 stakeholders for the key informant interviews while eight FGDs were conducted with four communities. Results from thematic analysis revealed that power manipulation, limited community engagement in the management of the park, placation, and the centralized approach to management of the park were issues that affect the management and sustainability of the park. It was further revealed that the Park provides the fringe communities with ecosystem services such as provisioning, aesthetics and supporting services. The study recommends that collaborative management through partnerships and equity in resource benefit sharing are essential for the forest resource management and sustainability.