INDIGENOUS FIRE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN GHANA

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INDIGENOUS FIRE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN GHANA
Lucy Amissah Forestry Research Institute of
Ghana
17/10/08
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OUTLINE

• Introduction
• Methods
• fire usage and management
• Implication for national efforts in wildfire
  management and research
• Conclusion

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INTRODUCTION

• Fires are viewed by fire ecologists as being
  neither innately destructive nor constructive.
• Fire is said to cause changes which depending on
  its compatibility with ones objective or use of
  the resources could be desirable or not

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INTRODUCTION

• In Ghana the germination of many weedy forest
  species (Momordica charantia and secondary forest
  species e.g. Ceiba pentandra found in the fire
  zone sub type of the Dry Semi-deciduous Forest
  are favoured by burning (Hall and Swaine, 1981)

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INTRODUCTION

• In Ghana burning is embedded in the cultural
  values and traditional farming systems of the
  people (Nsiah-Gyabaah, 1996).
• The needs of crops and herd dictate patterns of
  burning.
• Most farmers consider farming without fire within
  the forest zone impractical

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INTRODUCTION

• For centuries fires was used in farming and other
  livelihoods activities without any major
  negative effects on the environment.
• The Fire zone subtype of the dry semi- deciduous
  burnt occasionally (fires were ground fires and
  in equilibrium with the forest)
• Since 1982/83 problem of wildfires in the High
  Forest Zone have become a threat to forest
  resources

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INTRODUCTION

• FAOS in 1982/83 assessment indicated 50 of
  Ghanas vegetation cover destroyed by fire
• Fire has altered the composition and structure of
  30 of semi-deciduous forest in Ghana
• Over 4 million cubic meters of exportable timber
  lost in 1982/83 fires
• Fire is presently the greatest threat to the
  integrity of forests in Ghana.

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INTRODUCTION

• Wildfire incidences in Ghana have been strongly
  linked with agriculture
• To effectively management wildfire incidence it
  is important to understand the role fire plays in
  livelihood activities especially farming from the
  perspective (indigenous knowledge) of the local
  people

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Methods

• Survey of 120 farmers in eight communities at the
  periphery of Afram Headwaters, Tain II, Pamu
  Berekum, Worobong South Forest Reserves in the
  Transition Zone of Ghana
• Focus group discussions in communities around
  five additional forest reserves (Bosumkese.
  Mpameso, Mankrang, Sapawsu, Bomfobiri)
• Consultation with chiefs and elders and opinion
  leaders

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INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE-FIRE USAGE

• Farmers burn to increase land surface area and
  allows for more sowing of crops such as maize
• Farmers burn to clear away competing weeds, and
  prevent micro faunal pests from attacking crops
• Farmers burn for the release of nutrients for
  fast growth of crops and yield improvement

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INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE- FIRE USAGE

• Farmers burn to manage shade on farms or fell
  snags by firing around the base
• Farmers burn around rice fields, cocoa and mango
  plantations to prevent the more late high
  intensity fires

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INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE-FIRE USAGE

• Local people in the North set fires under some
  tree crops (eg dawadawa) to promote fruiting
• Villagers/farmers burn around their grass roofed
  houses, to prevent hot late season fires
• Priest burn around sacred groves also to prevent
  late fires

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INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE- FIRE USAGE

• Others burn to gather honey and hunt for game,
  using smoke to drive bees and the animals.
• Pastoralists burn to prevent encroaching
  forest, clear a site of ticks, inhibit snakes,
  and bring dormant grasses back to life

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INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE- FIRE USAGE

• Burning is also carried out for ceremonial
  purposes particularly in the northern part of
  Ghana
• This custom is performed in the evening on the
  ninth day of the month of fire. The month of
  burning could occur during the dry season or the
  rainy season. This is due to the fact that the
  natives use the lunar calendar in arriving at the
  month of burning.

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INDIGENOUS PRACTICES FOR FIRE MANAGEMENT-BURNING
PRACTISE

• Indicators Used to Guide Burning of Slash
• In order to achieve effective burning and reduce
  fire danger or risk at the same time farmers look
  out for certain environmental cues for the right
  time to burn.

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INDICATORS USED TO GUIDE BURNING OF SLASH

• After 2-3 rains (NB early vegetable cultivation)
• Low relative humidity
• Low temperature with low wind speed
• Leaf flush of Morus mesozygia (Wonton)
• Wind direction and speed is normally checked on
  site by throwing soil into the air or by watching
  the movement of leaves

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TECHNIQUES IN BURNING

• Over the years farmers have learnt or developed
  different techniques in burning of cleared fields
  in order to ensure safe burning
• Construction of a clean fire belt
• Setting of fire in the direction of the wind
• Proper pressing of the cut vegetation
• Dividing farm into smaller portions and burn
• Use of other farmers who farm nearby to assist in
  the burn

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INDEGINOUS PRACTICES-WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT

• Preserve trees on farm
• Proka(mulching) in areas (chromolaena odorata)
  where the vegetation is not thick

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INDEGINOUS PRACTICES IN RESPONSE TO WILDFIRES

• Construction of fire belt to prevent the spread
  of fire during the dry season
• Early burning
• Use of local structure to suppress fires that are
  small in size and less intense especially those
  on farms
• This is done through the beating of the gong gong
  authorised by the chief to assemble the people.
  Men lead the suppression activities whist the
  women fetch water. Palm fronts are normally used
  as fire beaters,

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PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH INDEGINOUS PRACTICES FOR
FIRE MANAGEMENT

• Proka is not suitable for some crops e.g.
  maize, yam, pepper tomatoes
• High labour requirement for planting and
  maintenance with the use of Proka
• Proka is unable to protect crops from insects
  and pests

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IMPLICATION FOR WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT

• Present indigenous knowledge for fire usage and
  management in Ghana is comparable to scientific
  practises. However there are certain weaknesses
• timing of burning and
• Techniques of burning (eg.fires along the
  direction of the wind)
• Alternatives to fire usage in farming are not
  well developed

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IMPLICATION FOR RESEARCH

• There is the need to further develop alternatives
  (proka) to fire to improve its applicability to
  other crops so as to reduce the extent of fire
  use in farming thus reducing agriculture related
  fire incidence

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CONCLUSION

• Predictions of climate change has indicated that
  west Africa would be drier and this could result
  in drought that would be a recipe for fire
• Improving on local practices on fire use and its
  management would enable us respond to a changing
  global climate and thereby reduce potential
  destruction of forests resources and ecosystem
  processes tied to fire.

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Thank you for your Attention