Environmental Degradation In Africa Research Articles

The Causes and Policy Responses to Forced Migration and Environmental Degradation in Africa

Forced migration has a complex relationship with the environment. The type of policy responses required to alleviate distress migration and improve the livelihoods of involuntary migrants while preserving the environment for broader society will vary by context. We highlight the need to better identify the related mechanisms underlying forced migration and their practices in receiving areas in an attempt to self-integrate. Implementation of safety net programs has risen. Such programs have the potential to promote migration as a risk management strategy and disincentivize the adoption of poor environmental practices in receiving areas. We discuss how available satellite data combined with machine learning approaches open new opportunities to discover solutions to the migration-related environmental issues of Africa.

Investigating the determinants of marine environmental degradation in Africa: What roles can economy, population, capture and energy play?

This study firstly examines the quality of marine eco-environment in Africa using Tapio decoupling model, and analyzes the sustainability level of the development of “population agglomeration - marine environment - economic growth”. Secondly, a series of econometric tools, such as ARDL, FMOLS, AMG model and DH panel causality test, are used to investigate the long- and short-term impacts of economic growth, population agglomeration, marine capture and energy consumption on the African marine eco-environment, and to analyze the differences between the sub-regions in Africa. The results indicate that: Adebayo and Kirikkaleli (2021) (Adebayo and Kirikkaleli, 2021) the decoupling state of “population-environment” has shifted from expansive negative decoupling to more optimized strong decoupling, and “economy-environment” has gradually changed from strong negative decoupling and expansive negative decoupling to strong decoupling. Ali et al. (2017) (Ali et al., 2017) There existed a bi-directional causal relationship between the degree of marine environment degradation and economic growth, population agglomeration, marine capture and energy consumption. Al-Mulali and Sab (2012) (Al-Mulali and Sab, 2012) In the short term, the economic EKC hypothesis does not hold in North and West Africa, while Central, East and Southern Africa are consistent with the EKC hypothesis. In the long term, the EKC hypothesis is valid in Central, East and Southern Africa, while is not valid in North and West Africa. Overall, reducing population agglomeration levels, marine fishing and energy consumption might mitigate marine environmental degradation in Africa.

Does energy poverty contribute to gender inequality and environmental degradation in Africa?

Purpose This study aims to examine whether energy poverty impacts gender inequality and CO2 emissions in African countries with the biggest economies by gross domestic product (GDP) per capita from 1996 to 2020. Additionally, this study examines the existence of the gender Kuznets curve (GKC) and the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) theories. Furthermore, it evaluates the connection between economic development and carbon emissions, on the one hand, and economic development and gender inequality on the other. Design/methodology/approach This study uses the augmented Dickey–Fuller and Phillip–Perron unit root tests to determine the degree of integration between the variables. It also uses the Pedroni and Fisher–Combine Johansen cointegration tests to assess a long-run relationship between the variables. The authors adopted the pooled mean group (PMG)-autoregressive distributed lag model and used the E-Views 12 software to run the analysis. Findings The empirical analysis approves the long-run correlation among the variables used in this study. Increased energy poverty and GDP increase CO2 emissions, whereas income square hurts CO2 emissions. These results are consistent with the EKC hypothesis, which proposes a non-linear relationship between CO2 emissions and economic growth in the studied areas (similar to an inverted U shape). Long-term foreign direct investment (FDI) has a negative correlation with CO2 emissions. On the contrary, energy poverty, GDPsq and FDI find a positive relationship with gender inequality, whereas GDP finds a negative association with gender inequality. The negative relationship between GDPsq and gender inequality establishes a “U”-shaped connection between income and gender inequality. Thus, it supports the hypothesis of the GKC. Therefore, this study proposes that decreasing energy poverty is vital for promoting a clean environment and mitigating gender inequality. Originality/value This study supports the hypothesis of the GKC. Therefore, this study proposes that decreasing energy poverty is vital for promoting a clean environment and mitigating gender inequality.

Does the Validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve Postulation Empirically Depend on the Level of Human Development in Africa?

Purpose: The interconnectedness between human development and environmental degradation is a complex issue that warrants investigation in Africa. Although there are a few studies on the economic growth and environmental degradation nexus for African countries, there is a huge scarcity of empirical research that explores the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) postulation in the context of human development and environmental degradation in Africa. The study therefore empirically explored the relationship between Human Development and Environmental Degradation within the framework of the EKC using 50 African countries subdivided into High Human Development Index Countries (HHDICs), Medium Human Development Index Countries (MHDICs) and Low Human Development Index Countries (LHDICs) from 2000 to 2019. Data for the study were obtained from the World Bank’s development indicators and the Human Development Reports of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP-HDR).
 Methodology: The study made use of the Panel Corrected Standard Error (PCSE) model and the Feasible Generalised Least Squares Regression model (FGLS) which are econometrically suitable to handle N > T and T > N panels respectively, and are both robust to cross sectional dependence, contemporaneous correlation, group wise heteroscedasticity and slope heterogeneity. Other econometric techniques such as Descriptive Statistics, Correlation Analysis, Variance Inflation Factor test (Multicollinearity), second generation unit root tests (CADF and CIPS), Durbin Watson, Breusch Godfrey tests (Serial Correlation) and the White Test (Heteroscedasticity) were also employed in the study.
 Findings: The empirical results produced evidence that the data is integrated of order one I(1) and exhibits cross sectional dependence, slope heterogeneity and cointegration. The data was also found to be serially correlated and heteroscedastic. However, multicollinearity was absent. The panel estimates of the PCSE and the FGLS estimators showed that Human Development is a key driver of Environmental Degradation in Africa, with the greatest proportion of the impact on HHDICs, followed by MHDICs and then finally LHDICs. The results also revealed the validity of the EKC postulation only in the HHDICs, evidenced by the presence of an inverted U-shaped relationship between Environmental Degradation and Human Development. In The LHDICs and MHDICs on the other hand, U-shaped relationships between Environmental Degradation and Human Development were found, signalling the invalidity of the EKC. There was significant evidence for the support of the feedback hypothesis between Human Development and Environmental Degradation in HHDICs, MHDICs, LHDICs and all the 50 African countries at large. Based on the findings, Policymakers were given recommendations that took into consideration the uniqueness of the economic situations in HHDICs, MHDICs, LHDICs and Africa as a whole.
 Recommendations: The study shows that the degree of environmental degradation is proportional to the level of human development in Africa and indicates that the validity of the EKC postulation in the context of human development) is exclusive to only the HHDICs in Africa. This provides an incentive for policy makers in the MHDICs and LHDICs of Africa to make human development a priority through industrialisation and other profitable economic activities. This is likely to help them afford innovations and technological developments that protect the environment through the greater use of cleaner energy than the naturally abundant fossil fuel as well as the institutionalisation of policies that protect the environment as human development appreciates.

Global digital divide and environmental degradation in Africa.

ICTs and access to Internet use are considered vital for the achievement of sustainable development goals. So, this study explored the effect of the global digital divide, trade openness, renewable energy consumption, and forestation on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 42 high-income countries (HICs) and high-middle-income (HMICs), low-income countries (LICs), and low-middle-income countries (LMICs) of Africa from 1990 to 2018. TheDumitrescu-Hurlin causality results confirmed a unidirectional causality from GHG emissions to the global digital divide (HICs and HMICs), global digital divide to GHG emissions (LICs), and GHG emission to trade openness (LICs and LMICs). Moreover, the long-run results of the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model showed an increase in GHG due to an increase in the global digital divide in all three panels. Further, ARDL results showed reduced GHG emissions due to increased trade openness in LIC and LMICs, renewable energy consumption, and forestation in all three panels. Thus, to encounter pollution from Internet use, the government should start environment-friendly projects through public and private investment in smart and modern environment-friendly technology and reduce the taxes and tariffs on them. Moreover, the governments of African countries should create public awareness through print and electronic media for raising the forestation area.

Economic Complexity and Ecological Degradation in Africa: Does Globalization Matter?

ABSTRACT This article examines the nexus between economic complexity and ecological degradation while considering the role of globalization for a panel of African countries. The empirical findings of Driscoll-Kraay show that economic complexity and political globalization reduce the ecological footprint. However, aggregate globalization as well as social and economic globalization exacerbate the ecological footprint. The interactive results suggest that economic complexity with globalization further increases environmental degradation in Africa. The Dumitrescu and Hurlin causality suggests a one-way causality from globalization and economic complexity to the ecological footprint. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Energy transition and pollution emissions in developing countries: are renewable energies guilty?

PurposeThis study aims to examine the effects of energy transition on pollution emissions in Africa. In addition, it explores the indirect channels through which energy consumption impacts environmental quality.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses system Generalised Method of Moments approach for a panel of 51 developing African countries over the 1996–2020 period.FindingsThe results show that fossil fuel and renewable energy consumption increase pollution emissions. The environment-degrading effect of renewable energy in Africa is however counter-intuitive, though the results are robust across regional economic blocks and income groups except for upper-middle-income countries where energy consumption is environment enhancing. Moreover, the results show that the environmental impacts of non-renewable energy consumption are modulated through financial development and information and communication technology (ICT) adoption, leading to respective positive net effects of 0.04460796 and 0.07682873. This is up to respective policy thresholds of 203.265 and 137.105 of financial development and ICT adoption, respectively, when the positive net effects are nullified.Practical implicationsContingent on the results, the study suggests the need for African countries to develop sound financial systems and encourage the use of green technologies, to ensure that energy transition effectively contributes to emissions reduction. Policymakers in Africa should also be aware of the critical levels of financial development and ICT, beyond which complementary policies are required for non-renewable energy consumption to maintain a negative impact on environmental degradation.Originality/valueFirstly, extant studies on the nexus between energy transition and environmental degradation in Africa are very sparse. Therefore, this study fills the existing research gap by comprehensively examining the effects of energy transition on pollution emissions across 51 African economies. Additionally, besides accounting for the direct environmental effects of energy transition, the current study accounts for the indirect channels through which the environmental impacts of energy transition are modulated. Hence, this study provides critical thresholds for the policy modulating variables, which enlighten policymakers on the necessity of designing complementary policies once the modulating variables attain the established thresholds.

Income inequality, shadow economy and environmental degradation in Africa: quantile regression via moment’s approach

PurposeThe purpose of this examine the impact of income inequality and shadow economy on environmental degradation given the growing income inequality, shadow economy and ecological degradation in developing countries. Thus, this study is motivated to offer empirical insight into how income inequality and shadow economy influence the environment in African countries.Design/methodology/approachData from 29 countries in Africa between 2000 and 2017 were used, while the novel method of moments quantile regression of Machado and Silva (2019) and Dumitrescu and Hurlin (D-H) (2012) granger causality is used as the estimation techniques.FindingsThe results established the presence of cross-sectional dependence and slope heterogeneity in the panel, while Westerlund panel cointegration confirmed the long-run cointegration among the variables. The results from the quantile regression suggest that income inequality increases environmental degradation from the 5th to the 30th quantiles, while from the 70th quantiles, income inequality reduces ecological degradation. The shadow economy negatively influences environmental degradation across the quantiles, strengthening environmental quality. Per capita income (economic growth) and financial development positively impact environmental degradation throughout the quantiles. However, urbanization reduces environmental degradation from 60th to 95th quantiles. The D-H causality established a two-way relationship between income inequality and environmental degradation, while one-way from shadow economy, per capita income and urbanization to environmental degradation were established.Originality/valueThis study provides fresh insights into the nexus between shadow economy and environmental quality in the presence of higher levels of income inequality for the case of African region. The study applies quantile analysis via moment proposed by Machado and Silva (2019). This technique shows that the impact of income inequality and shadow economy on environmental degradation is heterogeneous across the quantiles of ecological footprints in Africa.

African Ecocriticism, Interspecies Relationship, and Kyuka Lilymjok’s Twilight for a Vulture

Ecocriticism in Africa, often framed by the postcolonial problem, appears to have a lot of focus on the notion of environmental justice. This kind of ecocriticism, rooted in protest aesthetics, aligns with the eco-activisms of the likes of Wangari Mathai of Kenya and Ken Saro-Wiwa of Nigeria who have, in different ways, contributed immensely to the literary awareness and the physical confrontation against the institutional powers that cause environmental degradation in Africa. These environmental writers expose the business of extractive capitalism responsible for harmful practices like gas flaring, oil spills, oil bunkering, water and air pollution, tree felling, and other activities that are inimical to the biodiversity of the continent. Considering the general degradation that reduces the postcolonial societies to what Frantz Fanon calls the wretched of the earth, it could be agreed that these writers’ focus on the environmentalism of the poor is not out of place. However, this rubric deemphasizes the nonhuman implication of the environmental tragedies, leaves untapped the full potentials of those literary genres that aestheticize relations across species, and expands the vision for ecological sustainability. To change the narrative, this article uses Kyuka Lilymjok’s Twilight for a Vulture to highlight the roles of nonhuman beings of the environment by analyzing the interspecies relationships that occur when species are brought closely together in the Nigerian environment. Both humans and nonhuman species found in Nigerian environment do not exist in isolation; they relate to each other. These relationships or interactive moments open contact zones of proximity and provide opportunities for contrasting various forms of human relationship with the nonhuman world. This is not to privilege nonhumans over humans, but rather to emphasize the ways these nonhuman life forms are linked with humans.

Impact of international trade, energy consumption and income on environmental degradation in Africa's OPEC member countries

AbstractThe huge endowment, exploitation and trading of carbon content energy resources by the African OPEC member countries for economic expansion substantiate the fears of increasing global warming and environmental degradation. This study explores the dynamic effects of trade flows, energy consumption and per capita income on environmental degradation in seven of Africa's OPEC member countries (Algeria, Angola, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Libya and Nigeria), within the framework of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) and the pollution haven hypothesis (PHH). By employing the bootstrap panel cointegration test and the PMG/ARDL estimation technique on panel data spanning from 1990 to 2017, the empirical results show a positive but insignificant effect of trade flows on environmental degradation. The results further show that while renewable energy dampens environmental degradation, non‐renewable energy exerts upward pressure on environmental degradation. In addition, the results provide evidence in support of a U‐shaped EKC in the long run. The study, therefore, recommends the expansion of renewable energy consumption to ensure not only environmental sustainability but also to attain the regional goal of sustainable development.

Are abundant energy resources and Chinese business a solution to environmental prosperity in Africa?

Africa is abundantly endowed with oil and mineral resources and investment (Habiyaremye, 2020; Zakari and Khan, 2021). However, the region has failed to transform this ample advantage for environmental prosperity. This study centers on the influence of energy resources, Chinese investment, and trade in Africa on the environmental quality of the 40 SSA countries. To achieve this objective, we applied Panel Driscoll-Kraay Standard Errors (PDSE) and System-Generalized Method of Moment (S-GMM) estimators for yearly data spanning the period of 1992–2018. The empirical finding demonstrates that there is a positive relationship between energy resources and environmental degradation. This suggests that energy resources cannot help improve the environmental degradation in Africa. However, we find a negative relationship between Chinese investment, trade, and environmental degradation, indicating that Chinese investment and trade are associated with improving environmental quality. In the light of this, we strongly advise that the SSA states should direct their foreign business to China. With that, environmental-friendly technologies can be obtained to cut down environmental pollution. However, the government should formulate and enforce regulations against non-environmentally friendly energy resources systems capable of damaging the environment.

Conserving Natural Values to Mitigate Environmental Degradation in Africa

One of the gravest predicaments that Africa is suffering from is environmental degradation. Environmental degradation implies the diminishment of the beauty, quality, goodness, and viability of the earth and its ecosystems. Environmental degradation is precipitated by massive deforestation, desertification, drought, forced migration, war, food shortages, atmospheric and ocean pollution from mining and exploitation of natural resources, human insecurities, misappropriation of environmental funds, global warming and climate change, etc. Many of these that lead to environmental degradation are anthropogenic (caused by human activities and behaviours). Anthropogenic activities that degrade the environment are often informed by systems of thoughts that see no intrinsic value in nature or the earth. Nature is simply seen for its utilitarian and human satisfaction purpose. The earth is simply seen as existing for human needs and purpose. Nature exists to benefits human beings. Humans are at liberty to use the earth as they desire. Other organisms have no purpose except for the good and welfare of human beings. The interests of other non-human realities do not count. This paper argues that there are values in the natural world. Beyond the benefits that nature provides for humans and the entire ecosystem, nature has intrinsic value. While humans are to make use of nature to sustain themselves like other organisms in nature, humans have a responsibility to conserve the intrinsic values in nature. The degradation and deterioration of nature takes from it religious, spiritual, aesthetic, intrinsic, ecosystemic, and other values in nature. The paper will use a critical analytic and hermeneutic method to traces various theorists on the value of nature. It will examine the situation and reality of environmental degradation. It will equally present what can be done to conserve natural values. The paper finds and concludes that conserving natural values will help to mitigate environmental degradation

Urbanization, inequality, economic development and ecological footprint: Searching for turning points and regional homogeneity in Africa

The debates on how inequality, economic development and urbanization affects the environment has been intense, but lacks the African perspective. Hence, this study examined these relationships, as well as other pathways to environmental degradation in Africa and her regions, such as FDI . Also, it explored the relationships amongst urbanization, economic development and inequality. Using Pedroni’s cointegration and Quantile regression over 1996–2014 period, findings show cointegration and regional heterogeneities on the environmental, urbanization, economic development and inequality transmissions. Particularly, in Africa, inequality engenders more environmental degradation across all quantiles. Moreover, Africa and her regions are characteristic of a homogenous N-shaped relationship between economic development and environmental degradation. Similarly, a homogenous pollution haven hypothesis is true for Africa. However, EKC between economic development and inequality holds for countries with low and median initial levels of income inequality, but do not hold for countries with the highest initial levels. Furthermore, the EKC hypothesis holds between urbanization and inequality and, between urbanization and environmental degradation. Thus, urbanization complemented with employment creation strictly reduces inequality. Consequently, amongst policy targets are to bridge the income gap, reduce environmental degradation via strict environmental laws on imports, and building more sustainable urbanization and economic development processes for African countries.

The Impact of Trade and Transport Services on the Environment in Africa

Abstract This study investigates the impact of trade and transport services on the environment in Africa. Secondary data for 21 countries spanning 2000 and 2014 were used and analysed using POLS, FE, RE and PMG. These techniques revealed diverse results. The Hausman test was used to decide between FE and RE in the study. The Hausman test accepts the FE result due to it 5% significant result. The POLS reveal that trade and economic growth reduces degradation in Africa, while transport services in the export and import sector and energy consumption increases degradation. Notably from the FE result, trade, energy consumption and economic growth showed a positive impact on environmental degradation in Africa, while transport services in the import and export sector reduces environmental degradation. For the PMG result, findings show that in the long-run, trade, transport services (export and import), energy consumption, and economic growth increase degradation in Africa. This implies as these activities increases in the long run, there are no measure to ensure environmental quality. In the short-run, trade and transport services in the import sector reduce degradation as many of the importation is dominated by improved technology products, while transport services in the export sector, energy consumption and economic growth positively impact on environmental degradation in Africa. The study concludes a mixed effect of trade and transport services on the environment in Africa. A major recommendation is that more energy efficient technologies should be used in Africa to meet the sustainable environment goal and this can be done by reviewing trade policy to encourage inflow of improved technology into the economies.

Agriculture and environmental degradation in Africa: The role of income

The interconnectivity between environmental degradation, poverty and agriculture is an issue of great concern, especially in developing countries. This paper studies the effect of agriculture on the environment, conditional upon the level of income in a panel of eleven Central and West African countries for the period 1996 to 2015, using Pooled Mean Group (PMG), Mean Group (MG) and Augmented Mean Group (AMG) techniques. Our findings indicate that individually, income and agriculture aggravate environmental degradation. The interaction effect confirms that rising income levels dampen the negative impact of agriculture on the environment. Also, while increased use of renewable energy and improved regulations lower environmental degradation, population growth does more damage to the environment. This study concludes that unsustainable agricultural practices degrade the environment and poverty alleviation can mitigate the effect. To solve the problem of environmental degradation, poverty must be addressed and income levels must be raised in an ecofriendly manner.

The Ineffectiveness and Inadequacies of International Instruments in Combatting and Ending the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and Environmental Degradation in Africa

Despite the fact that international instruments prohibit such activities, recent recurrent incidents involving the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes on the African continent highlight their inadequacies and ineffectiveness of international law in solving this problem. Despite some noticeable milestones achieved by the Bamako Convention, its shortcomings are conspicuous. In addition, the ban on transboundary movement of hazardous wastes is simply one dimension of the bigger problem faced by (many poor) African countries: poor management of the environment that ranges from water and air pollution, poor disposal of wastes, improper and inadequate treatment of domestically generated hazardous wastes, congestion, noise, and dumping. These international instruments deal with only a dimension of the problem faced by African states. It is argued that additional measures must be taken to complement these efforts. Such measures include the enactment of strong laws and policies, education of the masses and a virile civil society.

Influence of crop management systems on soil properties and sorghum yields in the Sahelian zone of Mali

Better land and crop management systems are needed to resolve actual problem of land and environmental degradation in Africa. Assessment of required technology must consider both impacts on crop yields and the different environmental compartments (soil, water and atmosphere). With these concerns, an experimental study was conducted on these basis at Cinzana research station (13° 15’N; 5° 57'W), Mali. Effects of five crop management systems (treatments T1 to T5) are compared from 1992 to 1997 in a split-plot arrangement with two tillage levels (simple ridging and tied one): sorghum monoculture with crop residues export (T1); crop residue restitution every two years (T2); rotation cowpea – sorghum (T3); rotation green manure sesbania – sorghum (T4); rotation green manure dolic – sorghum (T5). All treatments received Tilemsi rock phosphate (300 kg ha-1) in 1995. Soil samples were analyzed and sorghum yields quantified. Between 1990 and 1996, pH increased in T2 and T3 and decrease in T1 and T4. All treatments improved slightly and equivalently, soil organic carbon (SOC) (0.3%), decreased the cation exchange capacity (CEC) and bases (except Ca) and increased available P. Grain sorghum yields decreased in monoculture (23 and 14%), and increased in rotations (6 to 12%). The results confirmed the value of leguminous and green manure with addition of Tilemsi rock phosphate in improving sorghum productivity. Key words: Sudano-Sahelian zone, Mali, sorghum, green manure, Tilemsi rock phosphate, soil quality.

Environmental quality and economic growth: Searching for environmental Kuznets curves for air and water pollutants in Africa

This study investigated the relationship between per capita income and environmental degradation in Africa, using longitudinal data on suspended particulate matter and organic water pollutants. The specific objective was to estimate environmental Kuznets curves for two indicators of environmental quality and to establish whether the estimated relationships conform to the inverted U-shape hypothesis. The results of the empirical investigation generally suggest the existence of an environmental Kuznets curve for suspended particulate matter. In the case of organic water pollutants, the evidence weighs more in favor of rising pollution as per capita income increases. The turning point levels of income established for the two indicators of environmental quality were however generally low, when compared to evidence from existing studies. On the face value, this suggests that African countries may be turning the corner of the environmental Kuznets curve, much faster, and at lower levels of income, much in line with the emerging idea of a “revised environmental Kuznets curve”. The results also suggest that economic growth and rising incomes may matter in African countries in order to curb pollution from these pollutants, but more stringent policy measures, particularly at the industrial level would be required to curb environmental degradation from organic water pollutants.

An African Gospel of Survival in an Age of Ecological Destruction

This paper uses the example of African Christians known as Masowe Apostles to answer Ernst Conradie’s questions about the construction of culturally appropriate soteriological concepts for saving the earth. It is argued that Masowe Apostles develop a soteriological concept that is comprehensible among Shona speaking people, and hundreds of other groups African people living with problems of global warming in sub-Sahara Africa. With God conceptualized as the giver of life in whom to place hope for saving the earth, Masowe Apostles lay for us foundational ideas for a distinctly African soteriology in an age of ecological destruction. Masowe Apostles highlight their need for salvation by worshipping God in a language that draws attention to nature, and by making it a point to pray out-doors, in the wilderness, close of barren soil, and sometimes unoccupied forests, mountains and rivers. This paper begins with a summary of the background to environmental degradation in Africa. It ends with a discussion on how to go beyond instilling and reinforcing ecotheological attitudes that Masowe Apostles show through what they express on a ritual plane to making the concept of the salvation of earth a way of promoting earthkeeping.

The dynamics of tenure security, agricultural production and environmental degradation in Africa: Evidence from stakeholders in north-east Ghana

Many authors have blamed African land tenure systems for the poor agricultural production and environmental degradation in Africa, and therefore the resulting hunger, environmental refugees and the lack of socio-economic progress. The aim of this paper was to investigate the role of tenure security in north-east Ghana and the implications for agricultural production and environmental sustainability. The research used a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods including interviews, focus group discussions and questionnaires to collect and analyse data from stakeholders in two selected districts in north-east Ghana The study revealed that contrary to the mainstream view that lack of security of customary land tenure is the main cause of the poor agricultural production and environmental degradation, stakeholders’ perceptions of their security of tenure was generally high. Yet poor agricultural production and environmental degradation characterised the study area. Interviewees perceived the main causes to be due to non-tenurial factors including lack of finance, poor soil fertility, inadequate and unreliable rainfall, pests and diseases, inadequate farmlands, bush burning and excessive tree cutting. It was also shown in the study that women and strangers (i.e. non-community members) generally had little or no power and control over land use decision-making and management under customary land tenure. These findings have negative implications for tenure security and environmental sustainability in north-east Ghana, since most women are involved in food production. The paper concludes that current policy focus on enhancing tenure security may fail to lead to increased agricultural production and environmental sustainability if similar focus is denied the above non-tenurial factors. Tenure security is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for improvement in agricultural production and environmental management in north-east Ghana.