ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION AND POVERTY IN THE WEST GONJA DISTRICT OF THE NORTHERN REGION

Abstract

This study set of to examine poverty and environmental degradation in the West Gonja District of the Northern Region. In all, a total of 130 respondents from six communities were interviewed to solicit information. The main tools used for soliciting information included: questionnaire, key informant interview, focus group discussions, observation and secondary data sources. The study employed the SPSS for data analysis. The perception of the level of poverty within the district was very high rating 87 per cent. The major indicators of poverty among other variables included: lack of three square meals a day, high illiteracy rate, high morbidity rate, inadequate health service provision, high rate of unemployment, inadequate capital for investment and inadequate provision of potable water. The perception of the level of degradation in the district was also very high rating (78%).Reasons assigned for the degradation of the environment include: unemployment, inability to afford other sources of domestic fuels and general ignorance. The main indicators of degradation in the district included: poor crop yield, drying up of surface water bodies, loss of biomass and reduction in rainfall. The study makes the following recommendations to institutions to help check the incidence of poverty and environmental degradation in the district; Poverty Reduction: the repackaging of agriculture to take a modern phase, the creation of agro-based-rural industries, provision of credit facilities and the development of an educational packaged that is vocationally and technically oriented. Reducing Environmental Degradation: the study calls for an agricultural development that must include Agro forestry as a key component. The Taungya System variant of Agro forestry is prescribed. The formation of school based environmental clubs, sponsoring educational programmes in the form of radio discussions, TV talk shows and news bulletin on the environment. The enforcement of environmental bye-laws, creating many protected areas and finally, making environmental management a 'people-led pillar'.