Stakeholders identify, commit to their roles implementing landscape approach to fire management in Ghana

Stakeholders identify, commit to their roles implementing landscape approach to fire management in Ghana

Ghana - 01 June, 2023

Most fire users including farmers, hunters, herders, charcoal producers, and palm wine tappers live under the impression that, fire use in their activities needs minimal or no dedicated and/or concerted effort for effective use and management; as such increasing the risks of wildfires. Consequently, the threat of fire in land use has become not only a major concern for fire users, but also resource managers and regulators (Ghana National Fire Service, Forestry Commissions, Municipal/District Assemblies, Traditional Authorities, etc.). This came to bear at stakeholder mapping workshops facilitated under the Fire-Smart Landscape Governance Programme (FSLGP) in both the Juaboso-Bia/Sewfi-Wiawso and Atebubu/Kintampo landscapes.

The workshops sought to comprehensively map stakeholders’ interest, power dynamics, roles and responsibilities in fire use and management in major land use activities. Quite revealing was that, various stakeholder groups (fire users and fire managers/regulators) through participatory discussions identified specific interests, DOs and DONTs, tasks, and deficiencies in fire use and management. Further, joint roles and responsibilities including; multi stakeholder fire planning and management at both landscape and district levels, as well as collaborative enforcement of fire rules (formal and informal) were outlined. Stakeholders subsequently realized that, with proper identification of various interests, responsibilities, and by acknowledging fire use and management challenges, they could collaboratively plan and effectively manage fire in land use. It is in pursuit of this, that stakeholders expressed their willingness to support and contribute to efforts under the FSLGP to achieve inclusive and sustainable fire use in both landscapes.