Achieving food security in a changing climate is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. For subsistence-oriented farming families who experience firsthand pressures on their food system - population growth, environmental degradation and climate change, to name only a few - adaptation has become an urgent necessity. The ability to 'adapt and benefit' through a suite of climate change adaptation interventions that build adaptive capacity is touted by many humanitarian and development institutions as integral to food security today. However, adapting and benefiting is often a far reach for many smallholder farming families, who more commonly manage multiple interdependent stressors through a mix of adaptive actions and negative coping strategies. The relative benefit of this mix of adaptive and coping strategies is socially differentiated, varying by location and both between and within households. This combination of strategies, or the variety of options to enact livelihood outcomes, is framed as a response space. This thesis explores the impact of social differentiation on the adaptive capacity of subsistence-oriented farming families experiencing food insecurity and environmental change. Using a case study of two villages in the Upper West region of Ghana, it investigates how adaptive capacity and response spaces differ based on points of social differentiation; the drivers that limit or exacerbate adaptive capacity and response spaces; and the implications of these responses for humanitarian, development, and government programmes that aim to support these populations. These questions are approached using mixed methods (embedded direct observation, the Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index household and individual survey, participatory action research exercises, child growth and hospital admissions records, focus groups, and key informant interviews) and a unique conceptual framework which draws heavily from systems thinking, feminist research theory, Sen's capabilities approach and grounded theory. I followed context-specific local drivers to deeply examine the familial and cultural political lives of households to better understand the interdependent nature of empowerment within the household, the distribution of scarce food, control over livelihoods and income, the management of poverty-induced stress, and the risk these drivers pose to public health. Out of this research, a multi-level vulnerability landscape surfaced, characterized by a food system on the margins and unequal adaptation within the case study population. The research led to the following insights: farmers experience multiple disadvantages being located in the Upper West of Ghana as compared to southern regions, and are underserved by multiple governmental and NGO institutions; farmers in turn experience heterogeneous vulnerability and access to response spaces at the community level, which are deeply entrenched in social norms that favour adult male bodies, male spaces, and male-typical productive roles; and, at the same time, there are individuals and families that stand outside these trends and are able to adapt and benefit, which highlights the need for an intersectional approach when examining the household and sub-household context. The 2015 Sustainable Development Goals include a pledge to ‘leave no one behind' in the pursuit to 'free the human race from the tyranny of poverty and want and to heal and secure our planet'. Understanding the differing vulnerability of subsistence-oriented smallholder farming populations, as well as the ways their response spaces and adaptive capacity have been differently shaped, will be important for the program design and targeting strategies of interventions to achieve this goal. This thesis aims to contribute to this enormous task.

This thesis examines law and policy in the book publishing industry in Ghana, with an evaluation of the success of government-sponsored institutions that have been established for the purpose of publishing development in the country. Issues concerning publishing development in Ghana and other countries in Africa have attracted considerable debate and coverage in the literature. The focus of the debate has been mainly centred on challenges confronting publishing development in the continent and the promotion of sustainable schoolbooks provision. Whilst there is a body of existing literature on the historical development of book publishing and its challenges, the role of law and policy, and the contributions of government-sponsored institutions to publishing development has not been explored. This thesis therefore provides the first analysis of law and policy, and an evaluation of government-sponsored institutions. In an attempt to fill this gap, this research identifies law and policy, examines the rationale for policy formulation, the policy-making process itself, the experiences of various stakeholders in the formulation of these policies and issues relating to the implementation of policy. It also evaluates the success of government-sponsored institutions by examining how their work has influenced book development and publishing in the country. The data for this research comprise legislation, policy documents and recorded interviews. These were analysed using the framework that was developed for book policy analysis. The use of the framework has been particularly useful in the analysis because it is compatible with the critical realist approach. Over two empirical chapters, the use of content analysis provides a thorough insight of the social, economic and political context, within the context of Ghana, for which institutions dedicated to publishing development were established as well as the formulation of book policies. Although government-sponsored institutions have provided considerable support to publishing development, the findings suggest that their operations are hindered due to a lack of funds and logistics. The findings again suggest that both national and international legislation have not been adequately beneficial to publishing development. A third empirical chapter, which focuses on the interview data for policy development offers an in-depth analysis into the policy-making process and the challenges that are associated with the implementation of policy. The findings suggest existing policy is limited in terms of scope of book publishing, and even with this limitation, there is a lack of transparency in the procurement process. A major challenge of the book publishing industry in Ghana is the lack of resources to enforce legislation and implement policies. Public policy analysis is not a new concept, however this research developed a framework for book policy analysis, a framework that combines concepts from general public policy analysis and in the specific area of information science as well as guidelines from UNESCO s guide to formulating book policies in a way that allowed the content of book policies to be analysed. The research also recommends that institutions should be strengthened through review and restructuring, and to review the textbook policy towards the development of a national book policy that will recognise book publishing as a strategic national industry.

The rush for land has escalated the last decade, with Sub-Saharan Africa as the most targeted region. Governments, local elites and foreign corporations are increasingly taking control over large areas of agricultural lands with the aim of creating higher financial returns and achieve food security. This phenomenon, known as land grabbing, has received a lot of attention worldwide, not least from non-governmental organizations and scholars stressing the negative impacts on rural farmers and families. Yet, several international organizations as well as many African governments keep advocating the positive effects that land grabbing can have on poverty reduction and economic growth. The dominating capitalist and neoliberal view on development, focusing largely on the economic part, undermines the social and environmental impacts that these investments bring. The purpose of this comparative study is therefore to examine, analyze and compare these impacts in Ghana and Ethiopia, two countries heavily affected by land grabbing. This is done through the lens of political ecology, where concepts such as environmental justice, accumulation by dispossession and sustainable rural livelihoods will be of particular significance. Based on a systematic literature review, the results show that land grabbing projects, said to aim at stimulating economic and social development, have resulted in dispossessions, injustices and environmental conflicts wherein indigenous communities have been deeply affected. Their traditional livelihoods, based mainly on cultivation, fishing, gathering and hunting, have been threatened by several impacts from the land grabs. These include loss of land, declined access to resources, damaged ecosystems, deforestation and lack of alternative ways to maintain food security.

This diploma thesis analyses issues related to current energy crisis and electrification process in Ghana, in connection with socio-economic impacts on society, and simultaneously presents opportunities of applying alternative off-grid solar technologies as potential solution. The main aim of the thesis is to develop comprehensive project targeted at solution for the lack of light and providing ability for charging small electronic devices, resulting to improving living conditions for inhabitants in non-electrified areas. Solution mentioned in the thesis, was developed on the basis of particular conditions considering the highest efficiency, reliability and simultaneously the lowest initial costs. Significant attention was paid to technological transfer challenge; ensuring long-term sustainability. Valuable information and experience were gained through experimental installation in the village of Akukusu, during Scholarly Internship in Ghana, leading to modification and further technology development. Particular examples of possible applications in cooperation with local subjects, which were achieved within semester study at the University of Ghana, are mentioned in closing part. These examples prove feasibility and simple modification for particular conditions. Subsequent possibilities of extension and further development are mentioned as well.

Pontas em circuito discute o papel de Gana na Divisão Internacional do Trabalho (DIT) no alvorecer do século XXI. O estudo parte do pressuposto de que o consenso amplamente difundido no Ocidente em analisar os países africanos como grandes exportadores de commodities é genérico e insuficiente para compreender as suas múltiplas formas de inserção na economia mundial contemporânea. Resultado de combinações históricas entre os meios de produção e as forças produtivas do território, a formação socioespacial ganense deve, seguramente, ser analisada dentro da DIT levando em consideração a produção de suas principais commodities (ouro, manganês, bauxita, diamante, petróleo e cacau). Paralelamente, contudo, também é fundamental compreender em profundidade a pauta de importações do país que, centrada na compra de diversos tipos de bens manufaturados, indica algumas carências particulares do modo de produção na escala nacional. Para além disso, na composição dessa pauta, tem ganho crescente destaque a importação de bens manufaturados de segunda mão e de lixo eletrônico, ambos oriundos de países do Norte-Global. É justamente esse lixo que reciclado localmente e, em seguida, exportado para diferentes países industrializados viabiliza o processo, aqui denominado, de recomodização da economia. Desse modo, a tese procura demonstrar que Gana integra circuitos econômicos internacionalizados pelas suas pontas. / Extremities in circuit discusses on the role of Ghana in the International Labor Division (ILD) at the dawn of the twenty-first century. The study is based on the assumption that the consensus broadly widespread in the West in analyzing African countries as \"major commodity exporters\" is generic and insufficient to understand their multiple forms of insertion in the contemporary world economy. As a result of historical combinations between the means of production and the productive forces of the territory, the Ghanaian socio-spatial formation must surely be analyzed within the ILD taking into account the production of its main commodities (gold, manganese, bauxite, diamond, oil and cocoa). At the same time, however, it is also essential to understand in depth the country\'s import pattern which, centered on the purchase of various types of manufactured goods, indicates some particular deficiencies in the national mode of production. Moreover, in the composition of this pattern, the import of manufactured secondhand goods and electronic waste, from the Global-North, has gained increasing prominence. It is precisely this waste recycled locally and then exported to different industrialized countries that enables the process here called \"recommodization of the economy\". Thus, this research seeks to demonstrate that Ghana integrates internationalized economic circuits by its extremities.

Today, Ghana is one of Africa’s most stable democracies. According to Larry Diamond an emerging democracy can be broken down to seven factors, each of which crucial in whether a legitimate democracy will be successful. By applying Diamonds theory on empirical information treating Ghana’s history and its inhabitant’s attitudes towards democracy (measured by surveys), this thesis aim was to examine two separate eras in Ghana’s democratic development to: 1. Understand the factors that completed Ghana’s transition into a democracy, 2. Distinguish a difference in attitude and/or in freedom of press when comparing the two periods and 3. Consider if there is a recent negative trend concerning the freedom of press and public attitudes that might affect Ghana’s democratic future. The two periods assessed were 2000-2005 and 2006-to date. Results found that factors important for a healthy democratic development all in all have been positive in Ghana during these periods with, at times, some reservation for a tendency towards corruption and censor. Some variation in terms of attitudes and/or freedom of press was found when comparing the periods, most significantly towards the end of the second period where a slight decline was noted. Conclusively no major threat to Ghana’s democratic future was predicted.

Ghana, a low-income developing country in sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing low maternal health service utilization and high rates of maternal mortality, especially in the rural areas. The Talensi-Nabdam District is one of the poorest and most remote districts in Ghana. The reproductive health status of women in the most remote communities in this District is poor. Dialogue about women’s reproductive health care needs in Ghana have been influenced by health care authorities, professionals, researchers and experts’ perceptions. The purpose of this ethnographic research was to explore rural Ghanaian women’s experiences of seeking reproductive health care from their own perspectives. The study was based on data collected from participant observations, unstructured face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions. A total of 27 women of varying socio-demographic backgrounds participated in the study. Interviews were conducted at locations of the women’s choice and in women’s local dialect. Data were translated and transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically. Four major themes emerged from the findings: submitting to the voices of family, women’s experiences of receiving nursing care, the community of gossip, and gaining voice. The findings of this study have implications for nursing practice, education and nursing inquiry. Awareness of barriers that rural women encounter in meeting their reproductive health care needs among health care providers is important in facilitating positive health care seeking behaviours. Nurse educators should orient themselves to the challenges to meeting women’s health care needs, and include in culturally sensitive approaches in nursing education programs. Further research is needed to investigate strategies that will enhance women’s reproductive health care seeking behaviours in rural settings and to focus on women’s perspectives in particular. In addition, research is needed to examine nurses’ perspectives on factors that influence quality care delivery to address women’s reproductive health issues. / Health and Social Development, Faculty of (Okanagan) / Nursing, School of (Okanagan) / Graduate

Background & Problem The author believes that there are important lessons to be learned from the states in Africa that have managed to achieve successful transitions from one-party regimes to multy-party regimes. However, Africa today displays countries that suffer from enormous problems and many of them are mired in political and economical development. A main theme of this thesis is the search for the differences, how can we explain the transitions and the outcomes of them? Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to describe the nature of transitions as Bratton & de Walle explain them and to see if their suggested explanations hold true in Ghana & Zambia. A secondary purpose also includes a comparison between the two cases and the differences between them. Method A combination of a traditional literature study and a focused comparative study has been used in order to fulfil the purpose. Theoretical Framework The second, third, fourth and fifth chapter represent the bulk of the theoretical framework. The theories stem from Bratton & de Walle and will be weighted against the empirical information found in the two cases. Analysis & Conclusions The latter chapters of this thesis summarize the results from the comparison and include a discussion and comment chapter. The conclusion argues that the causes and results of a transition to a large extent can be found in the political. The phases that Bratton & de Walle describe are also accurate in relation to the two cases. An important feature that Ghana has been successful with is that they have managed to withhold a higher political activity throughout their democratization. This has in turn resulted in a better outcome.

To learn more about how higher education can contribute to economic development through the development of the business perspective in the agricultural sector, this study has been conducted from the point of views of students, graduates and lecturers of the Agribusiness program at the University for Development Studies, UDS, in Tamale, northern Ghana. Although several quantitative studies on the Ghanaian universities’ role for development have been conducted, there is a research gap within this qualitative field. From a social-constructivist perspective, it is crucial to understand the social context, why a qualitative research with open ended interviews proved to be beneficial. The findings have been analysed by the Capability Approach through the perspectives of Relative Deprivation and Knowledge Based Views of Organisations. The result of the study clarifies the importance of paying attention to the capability of the students, the farmers and the region where the higher education is offered. It is also clear from the result that there is a gap between the expectations of the students and the lecturers on the outcome of the education and the actual output. Hence, the Relative Deprivation theory served applicable for the Agribusiness program at UDS. Furthermore, the research reveals the significance of that the institutional conditions, such as financial institutions, are developed to enable the region to benefit from the education programmes.

Masters in Public Administration - MPA / The paper investigates the challenges of consolidating beneficiary participation in the planning and implementation of projects, the effects on project outcomes and the implications for community based development. It examines one of such projects in Sekondi- Takoradi Metropolis of Ghana by assessing the entire planning and implementation of the project, the participatory mechanisms used and the current state of the project in terms of its sustainability. The paper critically investigates a broad arena of literature relating to the evolution of the participatory concept and its relation to development planning and management. It further explores some of the critiques leveled against the concept. The paper argues further that beneficiary participation in Community Based Development Projects (CBDPs) in Ghana is a challenge because of the internal rigidities associated with the use of the concept. It explains through evidence from the analyzed data that understanding the strategies for the participatory process as well as the socio dynamics of the beneficiaries involved is important in ensuring positive project outcomes. / South Africa