Path Dependence, Community Resilience, and Social Responses to the Implementation of Collaborative Forest Management in Ghana

The concept of community resilience has been receiving attention in recent decades as a framework for understanding the capacity of communities to respond to drivers of change while maintaining or enhancing their well-being. However, the process of community response to drivers of change and the fac...

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Main Author: Kofi Akamani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Utrecht University Library Open Access Journals (Publishing Services) 2023-02-01
Series:International Journal of the Commons
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.thecommonsjournal.org/articles/1171
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author Kofi Akamani
author_facet Kofi Akamani
author_sort Kofi Akamani
collection DOAJ
description The concept of community resilience has been receiving attention in recent decades as a framework for understanding the capacity of communities to respond to drivers of change while maintaining or enhancing their well-being. However, the process of community response to drivers of change and the factors influencing the change process remain poorly understood. In this study, the community resilience literature was applied in the analysis of community responses to the implementation of collaborative forest management (CFM) in Ghana. Qualitative data were generated from two forest-dependent communities in the Ashanti region of Ghana using key informant interviews and the review of documents. The results highlighted the role of drivers of change, institutions, capital assets, and arenas for interaction in shaping the awareness and motivation, as well as access to resources and opportunities for collective action in both communities. Importantly, community history and context helped explain differences in the responses of the two communities to the implementation of the CFM program. These findings highlight the need for greater recognition of path dependence and other attributes of complexity in resource-dependent communities in order to inform policies that contribute to enhancing community resilience.
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spelling doaj.art-e828d9f8dded44d3a136b26f371162022023-03-17T12:43:25ZengUtrecht University Library Open Access Journals (Publishing Services)International Journal of the Commons1875-02812023-02-0117110.5334/ijc.1171549Path Dependence, Community Resilience, and Social Responses to the Implementation of Collaborative Forest Management in GhanaKofi Akamani0Southern Illinois University CarbondaleThe concept of community resilience has been receiving attention in recent decades as a framework for understanding the capacity of communities to respond to drivers of change while maintaining or enhancing their well-being. However, the process of community response to drivers of change and the factors influencing the change process remain poorly understood. In this study, the community resilience literature was applied in the analysis of community responses to the implementation of collaborative forest management (CFM) in Ghana. Qualitative data were generated from two forest-dependent communities in the Ashanti region of Ghana using key informant interviews and the review of documents. The results highlighted the role of drivers of change, institutions, capital assets, and arenas for interaction in shaping the awareness and motivation, as well as access to resources and opportunities for collective action in both communities. Importantly, community history and context helped explain differences in the responses of the two communities to the implementation of the CFM program. These findings highlight the need for greater recognition of path dependence and other attributes of complexity in resource-dependent communities in order to inform policies that contribute to enhancing community resilience.https://www.thecommonsjournal.org/articles/1171agroforestrycapital assetsco-managementforest-dependent communitiesinstitutionspath dependencesocial-ecological systemstaungya
spellingShingle Kofi Akamani
Path Dependence, Community Resilience, and Social Responses to the Implementation of Collaborative Forest Management in Ghana
International Journal of the Commons
agroforestry
capital assets
co-management
forest-dependent communities
institutions
path dependence
social-ecological systems
taungya
title Path Dependence, Community Resilience, and Social Responses to the Implementation of Collaborative Forest Management in Ghana
title_full Path Dependence, Community Resilience, and Social Responses to the Implementation of Collaborative Forest Management in Ghana
title_fullStr Path Dependence, Community Resilience, and Social Responses to the Implementation of Collaborative Forest Management in Ghana
title_full_unstemmed Path Dependence, Community Resilience, and Social Responses to the Implementation of Collaborative Forest Management in Ghana
title_short Path Dependence, Community Resilience, and Social Responses to the Implementation of Collaborative Forest Management in Ghana
title_sort path dependence community resilience and social responses to the implementation of collaborative forest management in ghana
topic agroforestry
capital assets
co-management
forest-dependent communities
institutions
path dependence
social-ecological systems
taungya
url https://www.thecommonsjournal.org/articles/1171
work_keys_str_mv AT kofiakamani pathdependencecommunityresilienceandsocialresponsestotheimplementationofcollaborativeforestmanagementinghana