Contested fire management: Understanding the trade-offs between traditional and government approaches to fire management and their implications for co

Despite the scientific evidence as well as the nuanced
cultural, spiritual, ecological and economic importance of
fires for local communities in northern Ghana, government
policies still embrace the simplistic narrative that fire
constitutes a disturbance to savanna ecosystems. The
antifire policies and programmes instituted by the
Government of Ghana and Non-government Organisations
to promote conservation in savanna areas have induced a
growing sense of injustice and resentment among those
whose livelihoods depend on these fires. Therefore, a
scientific understanding of the drivers of fires and how fire
management policies impact wider efforts to mitigate
conflict between different resource user groups in these
areas, is necessary for developing more equitable
approaches. Hence, the main objective of this study is to
understand the complex trade-offs of shifting fire regimes
and policies in the savanna woodlands of northern Ghana
and whether these policies result in social inequities. To
achieve this, the study will adopt a political ecology
approach to analyse the issue of power and decision in
resource access. The study will employ mixed methods,
using remote sensing techniques and local ecological
knowledge to analyse drivers and trends in patches of burnt
areas, and a combination of key informant interviews,
participatory research methods and stakeholder workshops
to explore institutional arrangements necessary for
effective fire management at national and local levels.