On the Question of Sustainable Forest Practices? An Assessment of Ghana’s Ratification of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement

Gordon Kofi Sarfo-Adu

doi:10.7176/jrdm/73-05

Abstract

Between 2015 and 2020, the rate of deforestation was estimated at 10 million hectares per year. Continued forest degradation raises serious socio-economic and environmental concerns which has led to policy proposals emanating from both local and international sources. What would make a sovereign country kowtow to externally driven policy intervention? This study contributes to the literature on sustainable forest management by assessing why countries would ratify interventions that are proposed by parties external to the sovereign state. Being the first country to ratify the European Union Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), this study assesses the rationale for Ghana’s ratification of the VPA. The study adopts the qualitative case study design to purposively select key respondents who play critical roles in VPA value chain in Ghana. The study observes that although the VPA and its requirements are from external sources, they nonetheless fall in line with local ongoing efforts by the Forestry Commission of Ghana. The study concludes that a policy even if originates from external source is more likely to be embraced if does not challenge but feeds into government’s prevalent activities, the legitimacy of that agreement/policy and enforcement remains higher. The study argues for a convergence of local and external interventions and the development of innovative mechanisms to effectively manage forests sustainably, to improve peoples’ livelihoods, and protect natural resources. Keywords: Sustainability; forest management; VPA; Policies; sustainable livelihoods DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/73-05 Publication date: February 28 th 2021

Highlights

Over the past five decades, the phenomenon of deforestation and forest degradation have been on the ascendency (FAO, 2015)
5.1 Discussion non-legally binding, the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) by European Union (EU) was accepted by Ghana and ratified because those requirements fed into already existing local efforts by the Forestry Commission to promoting sustainable forest management and good governance in the forestry sector
The VPA uses more technologically enhanced efforts and processes to help in monitoring timber source and its value chain before final export which reinforce the Forestry Commission’s effort of promoting sustainable forest management

Summary

Introduction

Over the past five decades, the phenomenon of deforestation and forest degradation have been on the ascendency (FAO, 2015). The incessant pattern of deforestation exacerbates biodiversity loss and desertification with associated environmental challenges and threats to human lives (CBD, 2009; IPCC, 2007). This is because forests and ecosystems provide essential services including provisioning, regulatory and support services which all form the basis for livelihood (FAO, 2010). Governments in most countries contend that national forest plans within the international forest policy arena remains crucial for sustainable forest management (McDonald & Lane, 2004). A network of actors rather than the government alone will make policy decisions and forge a vision and direction for forest sustainability (Boyle et al, 2001). If efforts to implement SFM are to succeed, it is important to consider several institutional aspects which include, inter alia, the process of consensus-building around the meaning of sustainable forest management and the process by which SFM practices become established in rules, actor networks and power (Meyer & Baltes, 2004)

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion