Broadcaster Discussion Group

Theme 6.2 – Farmers' Dilemma: To Keep or Not to Keep Trees on Farms

Cocoa production in Ghana, as indeed across the humid West African sub-region, has been dominated by smallholders who have over the years cultivated the crop in intercrop with other food and tree crops . The dominant cultural practice of cocoa production in the region involves leaving natural trees and/or planting of trees on forest lands. These trees are selectively cleared and various types of food crops are planted. The main essence of farmers leaving trees and intercropping in their cocoa farms is to provide shade for the cocoa trees. It is also a means of diversifying production to enhance profitability and minimize risks.

On the other hand, the dominant cultural practice for most of the food crop production is the slash and burn and shifting cultivation. The practice of slash and burn to open up land for food crop cultivation usually destroys the vegetation and much biodiversity is lost. In the event, most of the commercial timber trees remaining outside the permanent forest estates in the country are found on cocoa farms or fallows which used to be cocoa farms in the past.

Indeed, it is estimated that of the about 3.7 million cubic meters of timber harvested per annum in Ghana, more than 50% is from outside the forest reserves and most of this have resulted from farmers' agroforestry practice in cocoa cultivation.

However, the important role played by these farmers in providing valuable timber resource is hardly acknowledged both by policy and practice. The lack of support for the role farmers play in this regard manifests in several ways. A few examples amply demonstrate this phenomenon.

lack of extension support – for many farmers the absence of extension personnel to advise on their integrated farming systems is indicative of a lack of interest of officialdom about the contribution their farm practices make to both the economy and environment. Extension when it is available is not unified, such that, separate agencies have responsibility for different food crops and cocoa; while there are no agencies to deal with extension on other tree crops. Thus for the farmer, it is incredible that for the same farm, 2 or more officials would visit to provide advice but none can answer the holistic questions that the farmer has, but rather perform buck-passing acts.
tree ownership – national laws are not supportive of farmers' ownership of timber trees. Indeed, while the rules of the game provides complete ownership of planted fruit trees to the planter, ownership of naturally growing trees (even when noticeably nurtured by the farmer), is vested in the president and traditional chiefs who have customary ownership. Thus it is an offence for an individual or a community to harvest timber trees without authorization from the forest regulatory authorities, and authorization is never granted to the individual farmer anyway. Tree harvesting is the preserve of timber firms who are granted permits even on people's farms to harvest trees.
lack of compensation and benefit from trees on farms – When the crops of farmers are damaged during logging operations on their farms, the loggers are required by law to compensate the farmers for the damage caused. However the loggers rarely comply with this. In situations where loggers even attempt to compensate farmers for crop destruction the valuation system for the crops is so unfavorable that farmers end up the net losers.

Apart from being compensated for the destruction caused to their crops during logging operations, farmers are not entitled to a share of the revenue accruing from the exploitation of indigenous, economic timber trees on farms they cultivate. The farmers therefore do not have any rights in the naturally regenerating timber trees they preserve and tender.

In the face of these problems and in addition to complicated land tenure procedures, many farmers have the difficult choice of protecting and re-generating the existing young, indigenous, economic timber trees. Leaving these trees would provide shade for their cocoa farms and increase yields but at the same time these trees would eventually lead to the destruction of the very cocoa trees for which they are kept, as result of logging activities. Farmers ultimately resort to destroying the young, indigenous, economic timber trees before these become matured to attract the loggers.

In Ghana, attempts have been made to address some of these obvious disincentives through policy and legislative reform.

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) has tried to unify Cocoa and Food Crop extension services, merging the different institutions and retraining staff to provide farmers with a more comprehensive technical service. Nevertheless, extension and technical support, especially for indigenous tree cropping is still lacking.

With regard to dealing with farmers' right to trees on their farms, some legislative amendments have been made attempting to give farmers more leverage. The current legislation indicate that no timber rights shall be granted in respect of; (a) land subject to alienation holding, or (b) lands with farms, without the authorization in writing of the individual, group or owners concerned; (c) land with private forest plantation, or (d) land with any timber grown or owned by any individual or groups of individuals.

This gives farmers the full right to refuse the felling of timber trees standing on land they cultivate until compensation entitlements due them and the means through which it is to be paid have been agreed upon by both parties. Admittedly, this does not give complete incentive to the farmers to keep trees on their farms, because they still do not have unrestricted access to the trees. Yet it is seen as first steps to dealing with tree planters' rights which are important to define, in order to ensure sustainable farming through agroforestry.

Given the case study, please answer the following questions:

Can you relate to this case example from Ghana about the disincentives for farmers to take control of their trees?

If yes, what are some of the structural, legal and policy issues that need to be changed in your area to increase sustainable forestry practices?
What financial and other incentives exist in your area for farmers to continue to engage in sustainable farming like the traditional practice of cocoa growing with trees?
What role do you think that rural radio can play to help farmers increase their incomes and control of their land?