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2020 | Book

Sustainability Challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa I

Continental Perspectives and Insights from Western and Central Africa

Editors: Dr. Alexandros Gasparatos, Dr. Abubakari Ahmed, Merle Naidoo, Alice Karanja, Prof. Kensuke Fukushi, Prof. Osamu Saito, Dr. Kazuhiko Takeuchi

Publisher: Springer Singapore

Book Series : Science for Sustainable Societies

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About this book

The aim of this 2-volume book is to highlight how Sustainability Science approaches can help solve some of the pervasive challenges that Africa faces. The volumes collect a number of local case studies throughout Africa that adopt transdisciplinary and problem-oriented research approaches using methodologies from the natural and the social sciences. These are put into perspective with chapters that introduce key sustainability challenges such using a regional focus. Through this multi-scale and inter/transdisciplinary approach the proposed volume will provide an authoritative source that will pack in a single volume a large amount of information on how Sustainability Science approaches sustainability challenges in African contexts. While there have been general books about sustainability science, none has had a strong African focus. As a result the 2-volume set fills a major gap in the Sustainability Science scholarship.

This volume sets the stage for the series. Part I introduces key sustainability challenges in Africa. Parts II‐III highlights specific case studies related to these challenges from West and Central Africa.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter

Continental Perspectives

Frontmatter
Chapter 1. Sustainability Challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Abstract
Despite significant progress over the past decades, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains the poorest and least developed region in the world. High levels of poverty, food insecurity and environmental degradation, as well as low access to infrastructure and low institutional capacity characterize many areas across the continent. There is a consensus among many international organizations, national governments, civil society organizations and academics that SSA lags so far behind other regions of the world that multiple development priorities must be tackled across the continent to ensure sustainable development. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a golden opportunity to spur sustainable development and meet the Agenda 2063 of the African Union. However, this is a very challenging endeavour considering the low starting point, rapid demographic, socio-economic and environmental change, and the prevailing lack of resources and low capacity. This chapter outlines the current status and the main challenges associated with meeting the different SDGs across the continent. Considering the many different countries, local contexts and sustainability challenges across the region, this chapter does not seek to be comprehensive but to highlight some of the most important trends and prevailing challenges in the context of the SDGs. The chapter concludes by briefly introducing the overall aims, themes and structure of the two edited volumes, as well as the contents of each individual chapter.
Denabo Juju, Gideon Baffoe, Rodolfo Dam Lam, Alice Karanja, Merle Naidoo, Abubakari Ahmed, Marcin Pawel Jarzebski, Osamu Saito, Kensuke Fukushi, Kazuhiko Takeuchi, Alexandros Gasparatos
Chapter 2. Enabling Sustainable Bioenergy Transitions in Sub-Saharan Africa: Strategic Issues for Achieving Climate-Compatible Developments
Abstract
Catalysing a transition away from traditional biomass fuels and towards modern and sustainable bioenergy is critical in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The high current dependence on traditional biomass fuels in the form of fuelwood and charcoal is associated with significant negative sustainability outcomes. The high land use intensity of traditional biomass and subsistence farming leaves rural communities vulnerable to climate change, deepens poverty and provides only poor energy services at high environmental cost. The transition towards modern bioenergy options is often indirect but can also be direct when modern fuels and management systems are introduced through alternative development pathways. This chapter discusses four critical aspects that can facilitate sustainable bioenergy transitions in SSA, contributing to climate-compatible development. First, the linkages between sustainable development goals (SDGs) and modern bioenergy transitions need to be strengthened and should extend beyond the household sector to include cross-sectoral approaches. Second, appropriate markets and modes of production and use for modern bioenergy must be chosen by emphasising context-specific issues in SSA countries, rather than relying uncritically on lessons from other regions that have quite different socio-economic and biophysical characteristics. Third, land needs to be used much more productively and efficiently for food, energy and fibre by adopting integrated landscape approaches, regional engagement and local agro-business innovation. Fourth, linkages between climate change mitigation and adaptation should be strengthened and exploited to address both the challenges and the opportunities that a changing climate poses for bioenergy transitions in SSA.
Francis X. Johnson, Bothwell Batidzirai, Miyuki Iiyama, Caroline A. Ochieng, Olle Olsson, Linus Mofor, Alexandros Gasparatos
Chapter 3. Linking Industrial Crop Production and Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa: Local, National and Continental Perspectives
Abstract
Various industrial crops have been promoted across sub-Saharan African (SSA) to meet very diverse socioeconomic objectives linked to economic growth, rural development, agricultural modernization and energy security. Even though industrial crop production and food security have received extensive policy attention, we lack a comprehensive understanding of their interface due to the large diversity of crops, modes of production, production areas and underlying impact mechanisms. This chapter synthesizes the existing evidence about the production patterns and drivers of industrial crop production in SSA, as well as how it intersects with food security. Initially through the analysis of secondary data and policy documents, we identify the very diverse production patterns and underlying drivers of industrial crop expansion in some of the key producing countries in the continent such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Burkina Faso, and Swaziland. Subsequently through a systematic literature review, we unravel how different mechanisms dictate the food security outcomes of industrial crop production across the continent. In particular, we identify 25 distinct mechanisms and the underlying factors through which they influence food security outcomes. The current literature is fragmented, with most studies focusing on single or small subsets of crops and impact mechanisms. Most studies capture mechanisms related to food access and availability, rather than food utilization and stability. Based on this synthesis, we identify priority policy and practice domains that need to be targeted in order to improve the food security outcomes of industrial crop production across SSA.
Marcin Pawel Jarzebski, Abubakari Ahmed, Alice Karanja, Yaw Agyeman Boafo, Boubacar Siddighi Balde, Linda Chinangwa, Sileshi Degefa, Eric Brako Dompreh, Osamu Saito, Alexandros Gasparatos
Chapter 4. Large-Scale Land Acquisitions in Sub-Saharan Africa and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Insights from Italian Investments
Abstract
Since the mid-2000s, there has been a large interest in agriculture-based private and public–private investments in many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A major driver of this land rush has been the increasing demand for biofuels in the European Union, especially due to the EU 2009 (EU RED, Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the Promotion of the Use of Energy from Renewable Sources), Renewable Energy Directive (EU RED), which stipulates that by 2020 at least 10% of the energy used in the transport sector in every Member-State must be from renewable energy sources. However, large-scale land acquisitions (LSLAs) can have very diverse sustainability impacts in SSA. This chapter analyses the intersection between corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies and LSLAs in SSA, focusing on Italian investors. We initially identify the characteristics of these LSLAs during the last decade, especially in the context of EU RED. The results suggest that Italian investors have acquired large tracts of land, especially for bioenergy crops. However, the analysis of CSR strategies suggests that most investors do not show responsible behaviour for issues related to land acquisitions. Practically none of these investors has adopted voluntary standard or certification and labelling (SCL) schemes that properly consider the main sustainability impacts of LSLAs.
Marta Antonelli, Stefania Bracco, Margherita Emma Turvani, Antonio Vicario
Chapter 5. Determinants of Foreign Investment and International Aid for Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa: A Visual Cognitive Review of the Literature
Abstract
The sustainable development goals (SDGs) have recently framed sustainable development priorities in both developed and developing countries. External funding in the form of foreign direct investment (FDI) and official development assistance (ODA) is necessary for achieving practically all of the SDGs and their underlying targets. However, it is not always clear how this funding is allocated between different SDG priorities in Africa, and the factors that influence the ability to attract and effectively use FDI and ODA. We conduct a literature review and an analysis of financial flow data to identify (a) the SDGs mainly targeted by ODA in Africa; (b) the research priorities related to the SDGs in Africa and (c) the factors that attract or drive away FDI and ODA in Africa. Overall, there is a clear mismatch between academic research priorities related to SGDs and actual financial flows for SDGs in Africa. This presents potential risks for poor allocation of resources across the multiple sustainability domains represented by the SDGs. Various economic, institutional and political factors influence how FDIs and ODA are attracted and effectively used in Africa. Based on the literature, we identify a series of approaches to overcoming the obstacles to attracting FDIs and ODA. We group these proposals into five categories, namely: (a) capacity building, (b) liberalization and deregulation, (c) regulation and incentives, (d) partnerships and (e) regional integration.
Julia Lopes, Albert Novas Somanje, Esteban Velez, Rodolfo Dam Lam, Osamu Saito

Western Africa

Frontmatter
Chapter 6. Perceived Community Resilience to Floods and Droughts Induced by Climate Change in Semi-arid Ghana
Abstract
Droughts and floods are some of the major climatic hazards in the semi-arid areas of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Climate change affects the periodicity and severity of such hazards, and eventually the well-being of many rural communities in the region, including semi-arid Ghana. Enhancing the resilience of local communities to droughts and floods would be a necessary step to meet different national development priorities. The aim of this chapter is to assess the perceived community resilience to recurrent floods and droughts induced by climate change. We focus on two purposely selected districts in the Northern and Upper West regions of Ghana that have varying degrees of vulnerability to floods and droughts. Following an extensive literature review, we develop a conceptual framework that contains the most commonly used elements of ecological, engineering and socio-economic resilience. We populate this framework with data collected through 30 focus group discussions (FGDs) with elderly men, elderly women and young adults across ten local communities. The resilience perceptions for each group are elicited using a customized Likert-type scale. The results reveal that local communities and study groups across the case districts consistently perceive their overall resilience to be “low” or “very low”, with little variation between drought-prone and flood-prone sites. Despite the large consensus in most resilience elements, young adults tend to report lower resilience scores compared to elderly men and women. These findings reflect empirical evidence about the low adaptive capacity to human and natural shocks and stresses in semi-arid Ghana. This bottom-up approach can be used as a pre-planning tool to identify priority areas and inform the development of context-specific interventions to enhance community resilience to floods and droughts.
Yaw Agyeman Boafo, Osamu Saito, Godfred Seidu Jasaw, Gerald A. B. Yiran, Rodolfo Dam Lam, Geetha Mohan, Gordana Kranjac-Berisavljevic
Chapter 7. Linking Rural Livelihoods and Fuelwood Demand from Mangroves and Upland Forests in the Coastal Region of Guinea
Abstract
Securing access to sustainable energy and ensuring local livelihoods and environmental conservation are three tightly interlinked policy objectives in many rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, the unsustainable extraction of fuelwood for household use and rural livelihoods can cause the degradation of important ecosystems. This chapter explores how some of the common livelihood activities in the coastal region of Guinea intersect with mangroves and upland forests. In particular, through household surveys, expert interviews and site observation, we identify the prevailing wood procurement and use practices for local household undertaking salt production, rice cultivation and wood logging. The results highlight the dependence of all groups on traditional biomass extracted from both mangrove and upland forests. Furthermore, all groups rely heavily on traditional and highly inefficient cooking devices, which may have further negative effects on forests and human health. Despite some efforts to ban mangrove logging and promote livelihood options that reduce pressure on these forests, there is still substantial forest degradation in many parts of the coastal region of Guinea. In order to limit forest degradation, it would be necessary to ensure the access of coastal communities to improved fuels, cooking devices, and farming and salt-making techniques.
Boubacar Siddighi Balde, Alice Karanja, Hajime Kobayashi, Alexandros Gasparatos
Chapter 8. Strategic Partnerships Between Universities and Non-academic Institutions for Sustainability and Innovation: Insights from the University of Ghana
Abstract
Sustainability science gradually gains recognition as a promising paradigm for addressing developmental issues in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Sustainability science adopts a solutions-oriented and transdisciplinary approach to tackle the interlinked complexities of the environmental, economic and social pillars of sustainable development. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) can play a leading role in the co-design and development of this type of knowledge through participatory processes with key stakeholders such as industry and government. Despite the current proliferation of various frameworks that seek to guide sustainability science and share related research outcomes, SSA universities still lag behind other regions due to systematic and institutional barriers. By using the Triple Helix approach as an organizing framework and the University of Ghana as a case study, this chapter explores (a) how the university carries out sustainability-related research with industry, (b) how the industry engages with researchers with regards to research areas and (c) how both of these processes support national development policies and structures. Overall, there seems to be a significant improvement in the relevant national policies and institutional approaches towards enhancing partnerships between the university, industry and government. However, there are still some constraints that put barriers in the productive engagement of the university in the growing national economy. As a result, more specific policies, institutional structures and activities (both internal and external) would be required to catalyse the development of stronger partnerships, ensure their viability and promote the positive outcomes. A good starting point would be to systematically monitor funded research and development (R&D) activities as a means of identifying success stories and best practices as well as of the institutional dynamics that hinder or support these partnerships. Another priority area would be to enhance the capacities of individual researchers as agents of change in national and sub-national processes.
Adelina Maria Mensah, Christopher Gordon

Central Africa

Frontmatter
Chapter 9. Long-Term Vegetation Change in Central Africa: The Need for an Integrated Management Framework for Forests and Savannas
Abstract
Tropical forests and savannas are the main biomes in sub-Saharan Africa, covering most of the continent. Collectively they offer important habitat for biodiversity and provide multiple ecosystem services. Considering their global importance and the multiple sustainability challenges they face in the era of the Anthropocene, this chapter undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the past, present, and future vegetation patterns in central African forests and savannas. Past changes in climate, vegetation, land use, and human activity have affected the distribution of forests and savannas across central Africa. Currently, forests form a continuous block across the wet and moist areas of central Africa, and are characterized by high tree cover (>90% tree cover). Savannas and woodlands have lower tree cover (<40% tree cover), are found in drier sites in the north and south of the region, and are maintained by frequent fires. Recent tree cover loss (2000–2015) has been more important for forests than for savannas, which, however, reportedly experienced woody encroachment. Future cropland expansion is expected to have a strong impact on savannas, while the extent of climatic impacts depends on the actual scenario. We finally identify some of the policy implications for restoring ecosystems, expanding protected areas, and designing sustainable ecosystem management approaches in the region.
Julie C. Aleman, Adeline Fayolle
Chapter 10. Forest–Agriculture in the Centre–South Region of Cameroon: How Does Traditional Knowledge Inform-Integrated Management Approaches?
Abstract
This chapter explores how traditional knowledge is mobilized in the highly biodiverse forest–agriculture systems of Centre–South Cameroon, and how it can help generate policy/technology options and innovations for managing forest–agricultural systems. In particular we adopt a multi-dimensional approach at the interface of rural livelihoods, food security and biodiversity conservation to explore (a) human–nature relationships; (b) traditional knowledge about forest use, soil fertility and agro-diversity management; (c) plant characteristics for household consumption and selling; (d) pest and disease management approaches for major crops and (e) social demand and supply of forest agriculture innovations. The study was conducted across three blocks within the humid forest zone of Centre–South Cameroon along a gradient of natural resource use management intensification, population density and market access. Socio-economic data were collected through structured and semi-structured interviews in 21 focus groups discussions (FGDs) and 30 household surveys. Biophysical data were collected through multi-disciplinary landscape assessment methods including a field inventory of agro-diversity. The results reveal the strong and well-established human–nature relationships in the study areas. The management of forest landscape mosaics through traditional knowledge contributes manifold to livelihood strategies, but at the same time creates the conditions for biodiversity conservation, given the extensive tree conservation in most types of farms. However, the supply of different technical, marketing and socio-organizational agricultural innovations does not always reflect the social demand in the area. We believe that embracing local knowledge and forest–agriculture approaches can reconcile many of the conflicts between local livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. We argue that such a closer integration is in line with recent discourses on sustainable development, climate change mitigation/adaptation and science–policy interfaces.
William Armand Mala, Coert J. Geldenhuys, Ravi Prabhu, François Manga Essouma
Backmatter
Metadata
Title
Sustainability Challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa I
Editors
Dr. Alexandros Gasparatos
Dr. Abubakari Ahmed
Merle Naidoo
Alice Karanja
Prof. Kensuke Fukushi
Prof. Osamu Saito
Dr. Kazuhiko Takeuchi
Copyright Year
2020
Publisher
Springer Singapore
Electronic ISBN
978-981-15-4458-3
Print ISBN
978-981-15-4457-6
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4458-3