This study sought to investigate the social-ecological factors that hold back sustainability efforts in the Lake Bosomtwe basin in Ghana, how these factors change over time, and what determines their ability to absorb disturbances in either their ecological or social domains. A mixed methods approach was utilized, using primary, secondary, and tertiary literature; unstructured interviews with thirty-one respondents; transect walks, observations and photography. A causal-chain analysis was used to illustrate and trace out the ways in which identified factors act and interact to degrade the lake's ecosystem. The study finds that factors constraining sustainability efforts and exacerbating environmental problems in the lake basin include rapid population growth, high levels of poverty, and weak lake basin governance systems. Further aggravating the problem is irreverence for traditional resource management practices which have been a useful tool in managing resources in the past, and changes in climate variables of rainfall and temperature, thus affecting lake water levels. Systems of interventions necessary to address these problems are noted.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:MONTANA/oai:etd.lib.umt.edu:etd-06012010-114053 |
| Date | 14 June 2010 |
| Creators | Nyantakyi-Frimpong, Hanson |
| Contributors | Dr. David Shively, Dr. Jeffrey A. Gritzner, Dr. Jill M. Belsky |
| Publisher | The University of Montana |
| Source Sets | University of Montana Missoula |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.lib.umt.edu/theses/available/etd-06012010-114053/ |
| Rights | restricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Montana or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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