Skip navigation

Winners and losers: exploring the differential impacts of agricultural expansion in Ethiopia and Ghana

Winners and losers: exploring the differential impacts of agricultural expansion in Ethiopia and Ghana

Jellason, Nugun P., Robinson, Elizabeth J.Z., Katic, Pamela ORCID: 0000-0001-7594-1081, Davies, Joanne E., Devenish, Adam J.M., Po, June ORCID: 0000-0001-6124-8235, Martin, Adrienne ORCID: 0000-0001-9305-7302, Adanu, Selase K., Gebrehiwot, Tagel, Teklewold, Hailemariam, Franks, Phil and Adolph, Barbara (2022) Winners and losers: exploring the differential impacts of agricultural expansion in Ethiopia and Ghana. Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, 4:100176. ISSN 2666-0490 (Online) (doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2022.100176)

[img]
Preview
PDF (Open Access Article)
37196 MARTIN_Winners_And_Losers_Agricultural_Expansion_In_Ethiopia_And_Ghana_(OA)_2022.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives.

Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

This paper examines how smallholder farmers are differentially affected by agricultural expansion in their communities and landscapes. Contributing to the debate on intensification versus expansion, and implications for sustainability, we employ mixed methods research with smallholders in four communities in Ghana and Ethiopia to explore the impact of agricultural expansion among different social groups (men, women, the young, older, the poor and rich community members) across different timescales. Surveys were conducted with 200 households per community on livelihoods, land management practices and involvement in agricultural expansion. Focus
group discussions were conducted with different categories of farming households to support the initial surveys.
Results indicate that agricultural expansion may have both negative and positive effects on livelihood out-comes depending on timescale, participation in expansion, choices of other households, and individual roles in the household. Short-term wins are likely to result in losses in the long-term due to changing conditions. Households that have not expanded may lose benefits such as food and income from nature, due to the externalities resulting from the activities of expanders.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: social impacts, smallholder farmers, agricultural expansion, sustainable livelihoods, trade offs
Subjects: S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group: Faculty of Engineering & Science
Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute
Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Development Studies Research Group
Last Modified: 18 May 2023 14:05
URI: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/37196

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics