Assessing the Impact of the Community Resource Management Area (CREMA) Project in Mitigating Climate Change in Ghana.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Ghana's forests, crucial for global biodiversity and climate regulation, face severe degradation due to human activities, including illegal logging, illegal mining, and the expansion of agriculture, particularly cocoa farming. This has resulted in significant loss of forest cover, prompting the adoption of national strategies, such as the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme (GCFRP), to promote sustainable natural resource management. The Community Resource Management Area (CREMA) project, a Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) model, was implemented to devolve management authority to local communities, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability essential to achieving conservation and climate-mitigation goals. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness and contribution of the CREMA project in mitigating climate change in Ghana. The specific objectives were to determine the primary activities undertaken in implementing the CREMA project and to assess the project's contribution to climate change mitigation. The research was conducted in eight CREMA communities fringing the Ankasa Conservation Area in the Jomoro Municipality of Ghana. A total of 155 farmers involved in CREMA activities, both full-time and part-time, were interviewed. Data was collected and analyzed through structured questionnaires administered using KoboToolbox and interpreted with Microsoft Excel. Participants were selected through a mix of purposive and convenience sampling to ensure that only individuals with substantial experience in CREMA interventions were included. Results showed a high level of community participation, with over 80% of respondents engaged either regularly or occasionally in CREMA activities. Environmental education and awareness campaigns (91.61%) and wildlife/biodiversity protection initiatives (90.32%) were the most common practices, followed by tree planting and reforestation efforts (76.13%). Overall, respondents strongly agreed that the project was successful in all three key dimensions, planning, resource adequacy, and execution, reflected by a high average rating of 4.541 out of 5. The study highlights CREMA’s positive contribution to environmental conservation, especially in strengthening ecosystem resilience and advancing climate action objectives. Despite these achievements, the project’s long- term sustainability is hindered by weak policy and governance support. Other significant challenges include illegal resource use, conflicts over natural resources, and limited inclusiveness, particularly regarding women, faith-based groups, and traditional leaders. In addition, nearly one-third of participants (29.03%) reported delays or non-receipt of promised alternative livelihood inputs, restricting the project’s measurable impact on household income. In conclusion, CREMA plays a vital role in climate mitigation through forest protection, reforestation, and sustainable land practices that promote carbon storage and biodiversity conservation. It stands as a credible model for integrating local participation in conservation and climate strategies in Ghana. To secure its future success, the study recommends strengthening institutional and governance structures, ensuring timely provision of alternative livelihood support, and improving gender and social inclusion in project leadership and decision-making.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Abstact i
• Table of Contents iii
• List of Tables vii
• List of Figures viii
• Chapter 1. Research background 1
• 1.1. Introduction 1
• 1.2. Problem statement 5
• 1.3. Justification 6
• 1.4. Research objectives 7
• 1.5. Research questions 7
• 1.6. Key definitions 7
• Chapter 2. Literature review 10
• 2.1. Conceptual Framework 10
• 2.2. Background of CREMA in Ghana 11
• 2.3. CREMA establishment procedure in Ghana 15
• 2.3.1 CREMA formation process in Ghana. 17
• 2.3.2 Required key CREMA documents in Ghana 20
• 2.4 Bye-laws formation process. 23
• 2.5. Sub-HIA 25
• 2.6. CREMAs’ sustainability in Ghana. 29
• 2.7. Factors that deter local participation in community resource management 36
• 2.8 CREMA and Climate Change Mitigation 39
• 2.9 Challenges and Limitations of CREMA 40
• Chapter 3. Research Methods 42
• 3.1. Study Area. 42
• 3.1.1 Study area background 42
• 3.1.2 The District economy 44
• 3.1.3 The District environment 44
• 3.1.4 Population 45
• 3.1.5 Ankasa Conservation Area 46
• 3.2. Sampling Methods and Sample size 47
• 3.2.1 Data collection 49
• 3.2.2 Research tools. 50
• 3.2.3 Data analysis and Presentation 51
• Chapter 4. Results 52
• 4.1 Introduction 52
• 4.1.1 Demographic data of respondents 52
• 4.1.2 Highest level of formal education 53
• 4.1.3 Age of respondents 54
• 4.2 Objective 1: To determine the main activities in implementing the CREMA project 55
• 4.2.1 Various stakeholder groups in CREMA activities 55
• 4.2.2 Medium of firsthand information on CREMA activities 56
• 4.2.3 Frequency of involvement in CREMA activities 58
• 4.2.4 Commonly practiced CREMA activities 59
• 4.2.5 Level of agreement with various activities of CREMA 60
• 4.3 Objective 2: To identify the contribution of the CREMA project towards mitigating Climate Change. 63
• 4.3.1 Main challenges faced by CREMA in mitigating climate change. 64
• 4.3.2 Responses on whether CREMA has introduced alternative sources of livelihood in the community 65
• 4.3.3 Alternative Livelihood activities introduced by CREMA 66
• Chapter 5. Discussion 68
• 5.1 Summary 68
• 5.1.1 Demographic data of respondents 68
• 5.1.2 Sex of respondents 69
• 5.1.3 Highest level of formal education 70
• 5.1.4 Age of respondents 71
• 5.2 Objective 1: To determine the main activities in implementing the CREMA project 72
• 5.2.1 Medium of firsthand information on CREMA activities 74
• 5.2.2 Frequency of involvement in CREMA activities 75
• 5.2.3 Commonly practiced CREMA activities 77
• 5.2.4 Level of agreement with various activities of CREMA 78
• 5.3 Objective 2: To identify the contribution of the CREMA project towards mitigating Climate Change 80
• 5.3.1 Main challenges faced by CREMA in mitigating climate change 82
• 5.3.2 Responses on whether CREMA has introduced alternative sources of livelihood in the community 84
• 5.3.3 Alternative Livelihood activities introduced by CREMA 85
• Chapter 6. Conclusion and Recommendation 88
• 6.1 Conclusion 88
• 6.2 Recommendation 89
• 6.3 Limitations 90
• Reference 92
• Appendix A. 100
• Appendix B 101
• 국문초록 105