FACTORS DETERMINING PEOPLE'S ACCESS TO COMMON POOL RESOURCES: THE CASE OF A COMMUNITY DAM IRRIGATION FARMING IN BINDURI IN THE BAWKU MUNICIPALITY OF GHANA.

Abstract

As the demand for water keeps on rising over its supply, many governments, organisations and communities continue to devise ways and means of coping with the pressure arising from the high demand. At the community level, this is reflected in the management of common pool resources. The determination of access forms an essential part of community common pool resource management. Three qualitative data collection tools; focus group discussion, observation and mapping, were used to collect data for this particular analysis. The study reveals that land and water are the most important natural capital assets of the community. The demand placed on these resources, especially water, for irrigation farming is introducing an element of competition resulting in insecure access to the water by an increasing number of people. Despite the high demand for water for irrigation farming, the people have relied on community institutions that operate outside the market system in the allocation of user rights or determination of access to this scarce resource.