SUSTAINABLE TOURISM TO REMEDY LAND DEGRADATION IN GHANA ALONG THE BLACK VOLTA RIVER

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to assess the impact of sustainable tourism on livelihoods of the implementing community members. The specific focus is the conservation option of zero land degradation approach of the Wechiau Community Hippopotamus Sanctuary (WCHS) that has conserved the gallery forest along the Black Volta River over the past 16 years. The study methods involve collection and analysis of primary and secondary data, with regards to number of visitors and the study area’s satellite images of 1986, 2000 and 2016 respectively. Results indicate provision of school infrastructure, scholarships, solar lamps for 600 households and 13 boreholes. The rest include rise in tourism income, supply of variety of seeds for cropping and realization of good production. Farming livelihood is inadequate; so farmers add petty trading, brewing and processing of organic shea butter. In conclusion, tourism is not always destructive to the natural environment. In this case, tourism remedies land degradation.