The impact of entrepreneurial activities on the environment in the Upper East Region, Ghana Presented By Dr Z.K.M BATSE DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS BOLGATANGA POLYTECHNIC

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The impact of entrepreneurial activities on the
environment in the Upper East Region,
GhanaPresented ByDr Z.K.M BATSEDEPARTMENT
OF STATISTICSBOLGATANGA POLYTECHNIC
4th July 2005
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BACK GROUND OF THE UPPER EAST REGION

• History and location

Location North Eastern part of
Ghana. Boundaries North (Burkina Faso) ,West
(Upper West Region) ,South ( Northern Region)
East ( Republic of Togo) History Carved out of
Northern Region In 1960 as Upper Region .Upper
Region Split into Upper East and Upper west
Regions In 1983.
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Natural environment

• Vegetation
• Climate
• Soil

Vegetation Savannah Woodland, short
scattered Trees. Climate Very hot, single Rainy
season ( May-Oct) Rainfall erratic spatially And
in duration. Long Spell of dry season (Nov to
Feb), cold dry dusty Harmattan winds. Soils
Bolesand, Tanga ( rocks Bolgatanga
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Highlights of Population ( general
characteristics)

• Population size
• 920,089
• Males 442,492
• Females 477.597

About 4.9 of national population of 19 million.
Density is 104 Persons per sq km. Higher than
national average of 79.3 persons
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Highlights of Population ( general
characteristics)

• Population distribution

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Highlights of Population ( general
characteristics)

• Age structure

Large dependent population below 15 years. Large
potential labour force

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Highlights of Population ( general
characteristics)

• Literacy and school attendance

Education not introduced Into the north early , A
deliberate colonial policy Literacy and school
Attendance levels therefore Very low
Three out of every Four persons aged three years
And over have never attended School.
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Highlights of Population ( general
characteristics) Main source of drinking water
Pipe borne water and bore hole Water considered
safe water. 56 have access to safe water
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Highlights of Population ( general
characteristics) Main source of lighting
Only about one out of every twelve Households
have access to electricity
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Highlights of Population ( general
characteristics)

• Main source of cooking fuel

78.2 of house holds use firewood Or charcoal
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Highlights of Population ( general
characteristics)

• Toilet facilities

Environmental sanitation Is very poor. Three out
of Every four households Have no toilet facility
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Highlights of Population ( general
characteristics)

• Solid waste disposal

About 55.0 dump solid Waste anywhere
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Highlights of Population ( general
characteristics)

• Liquid waste disposal

About 55.0 pour liquid Waste into the
street/gutter Or in the compound.
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Main Entrepreneurial Activities

• Agriculture, hunting and forestry

• Farming methods/practices
• Types of crops farmed
• Livestock raring (free range)

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Main Entrepreneurial Activities
Quarrying
Large-scale commercial quarrying Small-scale
quarrying
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small scale mining
Large-scale capital intensive mining Small- scale
mining ( galamsey)
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Entrepreneurial Activities and Environmental
Degradation(Vegetation and soil)

• Fuel wood harvesting and charcoal manufacturing

Extent of use of firewood and charcoal Sources of
wood fuel supply
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Impact of Fire Wood and Charcoal Manufacturing
Reduction in forest canopy Greater threat of fire
damage Genetic depletion
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Entrepreneurial Activities and Environmental
Degradation(Vegetation and soil)

• Impact of farming activities

Reduction in vegetation Reduction in soil
fertility Removal of the top soil
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Entrepreneurial Activities and
Environmental Degradation (Vegetation and soil)

• Impact of small-scale mining Destruction of
  Vegetation

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Entrepreneurial Activities and
Environmental Degradation (Vegetation and soil)

• Impact of small-scale mining Creation of
  un-reclaimable land

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Entrepreneurial Activities and Environmental
Degradation(Vegetation and soil)

• Impact of quarrying

Destruction of vegetation Creation of difficult
to Reclaim land areas
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Entrepreneurial Activities and Environmental
Degradation(Vegetation and soil)

• Bush fires

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Causes of Bush Fires

• Farming methods ( slash and burn)
• Herdsmen
• Charcoal production
• Hunting
• Honey tapping
• Cigarette smoking
• Long distance vehicle drivers
• Fire festivals

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Extent of Bush Fires

• Fifty percent of Ghanas vegetation cover lost in
  1982-83 dry season
• 28 major or extensive outbreaks recorded in the
  Upper East region between December 1995 and may
  1996
• Fifty percent of vegetation cover destroyed
• 164 Ha of forest reserves in the region denuded

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Impact of bush fires

• Soil impoverished
• Increase in wind and water erosion
• Changes in structure and composition of
  vegetation
• Impedes recovery of burnt vegetation
• Raises surface temperatures at soil level

Exasperates food security problems ( 35 of
standing crops or stored cereals are lost to bush
fires annually
)
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Re-forestation Programmes

• Navrongo
• Bongo

(The Gia/Nabio Agro forestry Development
Organization)
(Anti-bush fire education A Success story)
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Summary and conclusion
Main factors responsible for vegetation and soil
degradation in the Upper East Region can be
Attributed to the increased demand for
agricultural land, cutting of trees for fuel wood
and Charcoal and bush fires. Small scale mining
and quarrying have created very intensive
Damages in a few uncultivated lands and
communities. Tree planting seems to be the way
out , but creates monocultures.