Changing commons and their implications for fire management in Northern Ghana’s savanna landscapes
Commons of Northern Ghana’s savanna landscapes have undergone significant changes due to factors such as climate change, land use changes, land privatisation, resource governance and livelihoods. These changes have affected traditional burning practices, leading to tensions among herders, hunters and farmers. Drawing on institutional perspective (n = 10) and local resource users (n=56) and using in-depth interviews, we analysed how changes in commons affect fire management in the West Gonja Municipal of Ghana’s Savannah Region. The results indicate that agricultural expansion into the commons, which herders and hunters also lay claim by burning to regenerate fresh grasses for cattle or drive game for hunting has destroyed many farm produce and threatened food security, particularly during the dry season. Additionally, the communal system of fighting fire with fire is eroding due to the implementation of local fire suppression policies and the introduction of herbicides and tractor services as alternatives to burning for clearing lands for agricultural activities. Recognising that fire plays a significant role in shaping the composition and function of savanna landscapes, this study argues that it is important to establish an appropriate land use system and acknowledge the significance of controlled burning in the West Gonja Municipal.
