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Kinds of Ghana Selected AbstractsEXPLORING THE CONNECTIONS: LAND TENURE, SOCIAL IDENTITIES, AND AGROBIODIVERSITY PRACTICES IN GHANAGEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES B: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2009Louis Awanyo ABSTRACT. This article employs qualitative and quantitative evidence from primary social research in Ghana to examine the link between land tenure security and social identities (of wealth/income and gender), and how they condition farmers' investments in practices that contribute to the rehabilitation of tree biodiversity (agrobiodiversity). Statistical analyses of the significance of the effects of farmers' de jure land tenure security regimes, and income and gender on agrobiodiversity practices were inconclusive. The conventional causation link between investments and more secure formal land tenure rights, for instance, was confirmed in investments in four out of eight agrobiodiversity practices. Testimonial-based evidence of farmers provided a clearer concept of land tenure security and an explanatory framework about the interacting and complex effects of income and gender on land tenure security. The theoretical and empirical argument developed from these testimonies portrays land tenure as embodying negotiated social processes, influenced by gender and income of individuals, whereby breadth of land rights, duration of rights over land, and assurance of rights are established, sustained, enhanced or changed through a variety of strategies to shape tenure security. These processes , tenure building and renewal processes , are critical because all farmers have lingering anxiety about land tenure rights, even among farmers with more secure formal rights. Investments are made in agrobiodiversity practices as a strategy to strengthen land tenure security and thereby minimize anxiety, leading to reverse causation effects between land tenure, social identities, and investments. [source] CLAIMING PLACE: THE PRODUCTION OF YOUNG MEN'S STREET MEETING PLACES IN ACCRA, GHANAGEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES B: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2008Thilde Langevang ABSTRACT This article discusses the social significance of the street to young men through a case study of their street meeting places, ,the bases' in Accra, Ghana. Drawing on field research in a suburb of Accra, the paper explores how such meeting places are produced, claimed and defended. The aim is to contribute to discussions of the relationship between the marginalization of young men in Africa, the appropriation of street space and the production of youth identities. The article illuminates how bases are produced in an urban landscape characterized by rapid change, in which young men are excluded from meaningful work and influence, and tend to be represented as a problem. Describing how these meeting places are interpreted both from the outside and from within, the article illustrates the heterogeneous character of such places and the multiple meanings ascribed to them. While hordes of young men hanging out on the street tend to be viewed by the surrounding world as either potentially dangerous or as a sign of marginalization and immobility, the paper stresses that for the young men themselves, these places are also full of motion and serve to orient their lives socially and materially. [source] VARYING EFFECT OF FERTILITY DETERMINANTS AMONG MIGRANT AND INDIGENOUS FEMALES IN THE TRANSITIONAL AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONE OF GHANAGEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES B: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2007Samuel Nii Ardey Codjoe ABSTRACT. The transitional agro-ecological zone of Ghana, located between the richly endowed south and the impoverished north, has attracted seasonal and permanent farm migrants, mainly from northern Ghana, who now live side by side with the indigenous people. While migrants have higher numbers of Muslims, indigenous people are mainly Christians. Although the majority of the migrants live in migrant quarters with less favourable socio-economic conditions, they are more successful farmers and therefore wealthier. The objectives are to examine the varying effect of fertility determinants among migrants and indigenous females. This paper uses data collected in 2002 among 194 females aged 15 to 49 years. Multiple regression models are used to assess fertility determinants. Results show that although migrant households were wealthier, migrant females were more traditional. They had more children living in foster care, and a lower proportion of them approved of men participating in household activities. In addition, they were less well educated, recorded higher infant mortality, gave birth earlier and used less contraception. Furthermore, while a female's migration status is statistically significant so far as non-proximate determinants of fertility are concerned, the same variable is not significant with respect to proximate determinants. In addition, a married female migrant would on average have almost one more child compared to her indigenous counterpart, and migrant females who had experienced the loss of a child would on average have 2.5 more children compared to their indigenous counterparts. Finally, more affluent migrant females have 0.08 fewer children compared to their indigenous counterpart. [source] GHANA: Rural Community BanksAFRICA RESEARCH BULLETIN: ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SERIES, Issue 8 2010Article first published online: 30 SEP 2010 No abstract is available for this article. [source] GHANA: Avoiding the Resource CurseAFRICA RESEARCH BULLETIN: ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SERIES, Issue 1 2010Article first published online: 8 MAR 2010 No abstract is available for this article. [source] TRUST IN HEALTH PROVIDERS AS A CATALYST FOR MALARIA PREVENTION: HETEROGENEOUS IMPACTS OF HEALTH EDUCATION IN RURAL GHANATHE DEVELOPING ECONOMIES, Issue 3 2010Thomas De HOOP O12; I18; I39 Although knowledge about effectiveness of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) is fairly widespread in Ghana, their use remains far from universal. We test and validate the hypothesis that health education of hospitals and health centers in rural Ghana is more effective for groups that display relatively high trust to health providers. We estimate heterogeneous impacts of health education on ITN and/or bed net use and on fever as a crude proxy for malaria in the Brong Ahafo and Upper East regions in Ghana, with help of propensity-adjusted regression. The degree of trust in health providers appears to be a key factor in determining the effectiveness of health education in both regions. The effect is not ruled out by controlling for general trust. There are indications of nonlinear effects. The Kassena-Nankana seems to be an exception to this rule,despite low trust in health providers, health education is highly effective for this ethnic group. [source] Redefining ,Aid' in the China,Africa ContextDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 5 2010May Tan-Mullins ABSTRACT Discussions on the politics of Chinese engagement with African development have been marked by increasing concern over Chinese use of aid in exchange for preferential energy deals. Normative liberal discourse criticizes the Chinese for disbursing ,rogue aid' and undermining good governance in the African continent. These criticisms not only ignore the longer-term motivations and modalities of Chinese aid and the historical diversity of Chinese relations with Africa, but also uncritically assume ,Western' aid to be morally ,superior' and ,more effective' in terms of development outcomes. This paper consists of three parts. First, it will discuss the debates surrounding Chinese engagement in Africa, especially around aid and development issues. Second, the paper maps the historical development of China,Africa engagement and investigates the impacts of the changing modalities of Chinese aid with reference to case studies of two countries: Angola and Ghana. It then offers a comparative analysis of the similarities and differences between these two cases. The principal argument is that Chinese and Western donors employ different ideologies and practices of governance to conceal their own interests and political discourses in the African continent. [source] Child Labour in African Artisanal Mining Communities: Experiences from Northern GhanaDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 3 2010Gavin Hilson ABSTRACT The issue of child labour in the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) economy is attracting significant attention worldwide. This article critically examines this ,problem' in the context of sub-Saharan Africa, where a lack of formal sector employment opportunities and/or the need to provide financial support to their impoverished families has led tens of thousands of children to take up work in this industry. The article begins by engaging with the main debates on child labour in an attempt to explain why young boys and girls elect to pursue arduous work in ASM camps across the region. The remainder of the article uses the Ghana experience to further articulate the challenges associated with eradicating child labour at ASM camps, drawing upon recent fieldwork undertaken in Talensi-Nabdam District, Upper East Region. Overall, the issue of child labour in African ASM communities has been diagnosed far too superficially, and until donor agencies and host governments fully come to grips with the underlying causes of the poverty responsible for its existence, it will continue to burgeon. [source] Risky Business: Economic Uncertainty, Market Reforms and Female Livelihoods in Northeast GhanaDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 5 2000Brenda Chalfin This article examines the implications of economic uncertainty for rural markets and the livelihoods of female traders. It does so through a case study of a community in northern Ghana caught in the throes of a structural adjustment-driven privatization initiative. In order to fully comprehend the nature of the economic uncertainties in which rural economic actors are enmeshed and the manner in which they resist, engage or engender these conditions, two theoretical lenses are interposed. One, focusing on structural dissolution and an overall process of rural, and especially female, disempowerment, is drawn from recent approaches to African political economy. The other, gleaned from the field of economic anthropology, attends to the agency and knowledge of rural entrepreneurs in the face of unstable and imperfect market conditions. By bringing together these different analytic traditions, the critical significance of uncertainty within the complex process of rural economic transformation and reproduction becomes evident. Rather than functioning as a diagnostic of economic crisis and insecurity, uncertainty can be a strategic resource integral to the constitution of markets, livelihoods and economic coalitions. Such a perspective, privileging the institutional potentials of local social practice, makes apparent the forceful role played by female traders in the structuring of rural marketing systems even in the face of externally-induced and sometimes dramatic shifts in material conditions. [source] Differences in the Performance of Public Organisations in Ghana: Implications for Public-Sector Reform PolicyDEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 6 2006Francis Owusu This article uses survey data from Ghana to examine whether there are significant differences in the characteristics of poor and well performing public organisations, and finds that they differ in two respects: remuneration and hiring criteria. It argues that transforming those that perform poorly is, however, more complex than simply addressing these differences: it requires fundamental changes in the cultures of organisations. Recommendations are made for designing comprehensive public-sector reform strategies that focus on both the enabling environment and achieving cultural change in specific organisations, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach. [source] Urban Service Partnerships, ,Street-Level Bureaucrats' and Environmental Sanitation in Kumasi and Accra, Ghana: Coping with Organisational Change in the Public BureaucracyDEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 1 2006Richard Crook This is an empirical case study of ,street-level' officials in a classic ,regulatory' public agency: the Environmental Health Department in Kumasi and Accra, Ghana, where privatisation and contracting-out of sanitary services have imposed new ways of working on Environmental Health Officers. Both internal and external organisational relationships are analysed to explain the extent to which these officers have adapted to more ,client-oriented' ways of working. Their positive organizational culture is credited with much of the positive results achieved, but was not sufficient to cope with the negative impact of politically protected privatisations on the officials' ability to enforce standards. Nor could it entirely overcome the deficiencies in training and incentive structures which should have accompanied the changes in service delivery. [source] Yeast diversity of Ghanaian cocoa bean heap fermentationsFEMS YEAST RESEARCH, Issue 5 2009Heide-Marie Daniel Abstract The fermentation of the Theobroma cacao beans, involving yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic acid bacteria, has a major influence on the quality of the resulting cocoa. An assessment of the microbial community of cocoa bean heap fermentations in Ghana resulted in 91 yeast isolates. These were grouped by PCR-fingerprinting with the primer M13. Representative isolates were identified using the D1/D2 region of the large subunit rRNA gene, internal transcribed spacer sequences and partial actin gene sequences leading to the detection of 15 species. Properties of importance for cocoa bean fermentation, namely sucrose, glucose, and citrate assimilation capacity, pH-, ethanol-, and heat-tolerance, were examined for selected isolates. Pichia kudriavzevii (Issatchenkia orientalis), Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Hanseniaspora opuntiae formed the major components of the yeast community. Hanseniaspora opuntiae was identified conclusively for the first time from cocoa fermentations. Among the less frequently encountered species, Candida carpophila, Candida orthopsilosis, Kodamaea ohmeri, Meyerozyma (Pichia) caribbica, Pichia manshurica, Saccharomycodes ludwigii, and Yamadazyma (Pichia) mexicana were not yet documented from this substrate. Hanseniaspora opuntiae was preferably growing during the earlier phase of fermentation, reflecting its tolerance to low pH and its citrate-negative phenotype, while no specific temporal distribution was recognized for P. kudriavzevii and S. cerevisiae. [source] Fisheries of two tropical lagoons in Ghana, West AfricaFISHERIES MANAGEMENT & ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2004H. R. Dankwa Abstract, The fisheries of two coastal lagoons, Keta and Songor, were studied as part of Ghana Coastal Wetlands Management Project (GCWMP) aimed at sustainable exploitation of wetland resources. Fish samples were obtained with seine nets and cast net as well as from local fishermen. Water quality parameters (pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature and turbidity) were similar in the two lagoons, except for salinity, which was significantly different (P < 0.001). Despite their close geographical proximity, the two lagoons supported different fish assemblages with the blackchin tilapia, Sarotherodon melanotheron Rüppell, and the redchin tilapia, Tilapia guineensis (Bleeker), being the most important commercial fishes in both lagoons. The number of individuals for each species in Songor Lagoon were far more abundant, with densities several orders of magnitude higher than in Keta Lagoon. However, both species were significantly larger (P < 0.01) in the latter [15,121 and 25,157 mm standard length (SL)] than in the former lagoon (30,102 and 15,95 mm SL) for S. melanotheron and T. guineensis respectively. Over-fishing, use of small-size mesh nets, limited mixing of marine and fresh water were some of the factors limiting fish production in both lagoons. [source] Growth and mortality of the catfish, Hemisynodontis membranaceus (Geoffroy St. Hilaire), in the northern arm of Lake Volta, GhanaFISHERIES MANAGEMENT & ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2001P. K. Ofori-Danson Estimates of growth and mortality of the catfish, Hemisynodontis membranaceus (Geoffroy St. Hilaire), in Lake Volta were obtained from length composition data compiled in 1995 and 1996. The von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF) estimates were: L,=44.5 cm standard length; K=0.62 year,1; and t0=,0.23 years. Natural mortality rate, M, was 1.20 year,1. Total mortality rate, Z, was computed as 4.39 year,1 and the exploitation ratio (E=F/Z) was 0.72. Although the fish is estimated to have longevity of about 5 years, those exploited are normally less than 2 years of age, which is indicative of growth over-fishing. In order to arrest over-exploitation of the species, there is a need to establish ,lake reserves'. In addition, the fisheries management should be devolved from the state to the local level to compel fishermen to take greater responsibility for the sustainability and conservation of the fisheries. [source] Chemical composition of the essential oils of Ageratum conyzoides L. occurring in south ChinaFLAVOUR AND FRAGRANCE JOURNAL, Issue 1 2004Abu James Sundufu Abstract The essential oil isolated from the leaves and ,owers of Ageratum conyzoides L. were analysed by GC and GC,MS. The oil contained ageratochromene (precocene II, 25.89%); the sesquiterpene , -caryophyllene (23.79%); demethoxyageratochromene (precocene I, 14.76%) and some monoterpene hydrocarbons, with percentages of 2,5.5%. Comparative analysis with data from Cameroon, Ghana and Vietnam is also reported. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] EXPLORING THE CONNECTIONS: LAND TENURE, SOCIAL IDENTITIES, AND AGROBIODIVERSITY PRACTICES IN GHANAGEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES B: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2009Louis Awanyo ABSTRACT. This article employs qualitative and quantitative evidence from primary social research in Ghana to examine the link between land tenure security and social identities (of wealth/income and gender), and how they condition farmers' investments in practices that contribute to the rehabilitation of tree biodiversity (agrobiodiversity). Statistical analyses of the significance of the effects of farmers' de jure land tenure security regimes, and income and gender on agrobiodiversity practices were inconclusive. The conventional causation link between investments and more secure formal land tenure rights, for instance, was confirmed in investments in four out of eight agrobiodiversity practices. Testimonial-based evidence of farmers provided a clearer concept of land tenure security and an explanatory framework about the interacting and complex effects of income and gender on land tenure security. The theoretical and empirical argument developed from these testimonies portrays land tenure as embodying negotiated social processes, influenced by gender and income of individuals, whereby breadth of land rights, duration of rights over land, and assurance of rights are established, sustained, enhanced or changed through a variety of strategies to shape tenure security. These processes , tenure building and renewal processes , are critical because all farmers have lingering anxiety about land tenure rights, even among farmers with more secure formal rights. Investments are made in agrobiodiversity practices as a strategy to strengthen land tenure security and thereby minimize anxiety, leading to reverse causation effects between land tenure, social identities, and investments. [source] CLAIMING PLACE: THE PRODUCTION OF YOUNG MEN'S STREET MEETING PLACES IN ACCRA, GHANAGEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES B: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2008Thilde Langevang ABSTRACT This article discusses the social significance of the street to young men through a case study of their street meeting places, ,the bases' in Accra, Ghana. Drawing on field research in a suburb of Accra, the paper explores how such meeting places are produced, claimed and defended. The aim is to contribute to discussions of the relationship between the marginalization of young men in Africa, the appropriation of street space and the production of youth identities. The article illuminates how bases are produced in an urban landscape characterized by rapid change, in which young men are excluded from meaningful work and influence, and tend to be represented as a problem. Describing how these meeting places are interpreted both from the outside and from within, the article illustrates the heterogeneous character of such places and the multiple meanings ascribed to them. While hordes of young men hanging out on the street tend to be viewed by the surrounding world as either potentially dangerous or as a sign of marginalization and immobility, the paper stresses that for the young men themselves, these places are also full of motion and serve to orient their lives socially and materially. [source] VARYING EFFECT OF FERTILITY DETERMINANTS AMONG MIGRANT AND INDIGENOUS FEMALES IN THE TRANSITIONAL AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONE OF GHANAGEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES B: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2007Samuel Nii Ardey Codjoe ABSTRACT. The transitional agro-ecological zone of Ghana, located between the richly endowed south and the impoverished north, has attracted seasonal and permanent farm migrants, mainly from northern Ghana, who now live side by side with the indigenous people. While migrants have higher numbers of Muslims, indigenous people are mainly Christians. Although the majority of the migrants live in migrant quarters with less favourable socio-economic conditions, they are more successful farmers and therefore wealthier. The objectives are to examine the varying effect of fertility determinants among migrants and indigenous females. This paper uses data collected in 2002 among 194 females aged 15 to 49 years. Multiple regression models are used to assess fertility determinants. Results show that although migrant households were wealthier, migrant females were more traditional. They had more children living in foster care, and a lower proportion of them approved of men participating in household activities. In addition, they were less well educated, recorded higher infant mortality, gave birth earlier and used less contraception. Furthermore, while a female's migration status is statistically significant so far as non-proximate determinants of fertility are concerned, the same variable is not significant with respect to proximate determinants. In addition, a married female migrant would on average have almost one more child compared to her indigenous counterpart, and migrant females who had experienced the loss of a child would on average have 2.5 more children compared to their indigenous counterparts. Finally, more affluent migrant females have 0.08 fewer children compared to their indigenous counterpart. [source] Towards a multi-criteria approach for priority setting: an application to GhanaHEALTH ECONOMICS, Issue 7 2006Rob Baltussen Abstract Background: Many criteria have been proposed to guide priority setting in health, but their relative importance has not yet been determined in a way that allows a rank ordering of interventions. Methods: In an explorative study, a discrete choice experiment was carried out to determine the relative importance of different criteria in identifying priority interventions in Ghana. Thirty respondents chose between 12 pairs of scenarios that described interventions in terms of medical and non-medical criteria. Subsequently, a composite league table was constructed to rank order a set of interventions by mapping interventions on those criteria and considering the relative weights of different criteria. Results: Interventions that are cost-effective, reduce poverty, target severe diseases, or target the young had a higher probability of being chosen than others. The composite league table showed that high priority interventions in Ghana are prevention of mother to child transmission in HIV/AIDS control, and treatment of pneumonia and diarrhoea in childhood. Low priority interventions are certain interventions to control blood pressure, tobacco and alcohol abuse. The composite league table lead to a different and more differentiated rank ordering of interventions compared to pure efficiency ratings. Conclusion: This explorative study has introduced a multi-criteria approach to priority setting. It has shown the feasibility of accounting for efficiency, equity and other societal concerns in prioritization decisions, and its potentially large impact on priority setting. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Understanding Sierra Leone in Colonial West Africa: A Synoptic Socio-Political HistoryHISTORY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 3 2009Joseph Bangura Sierra Leone played a pivotal role in the success of the British colonial project in West Africa in the 19th century. In 1866, it served as the administrative headquarters for the colonies of Lagos, the Gold Coast now Ghana and Bathurst Gambia. Professionals, clergymen, and intellectuals from Sierra Leone, particularly Creoles, served as civil servants, engineers, and medical doctors in Nigeria, Ghana, and the Gambia in the 18th and 19th centuries. Sierra Leone also educated one of the first crops of Western-educated elites in West Africa. In short, despite experiencing a devastating civil war, evidently Sierra Leone is gradually regaining its quintessential role as one of the oldest, peaceful, and democratic states in West Africa. [source] Simulating the response of a closed-basin lake to recent climate changes in tropical West Africa (Lake Bosumtwi, Ghana)HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 13 2007Timothy M. Shanahan Abstract Historical changes in the level of Lake Bosumtwi, Ghana, have been simulated using a catchment-scale hydrological model in order to assess the importance of changes in climate and land use on lake water balance on a monthly basis for the period 1939,2004. Several commonly used models for computing evaporation in data-sparse regions are compared, including the Penman, the energy budget, and the Priestley,Taylor methods. Based on a comparison with recorded lake level variations, the model with the energy-budget evaporation model subcomponent is most effective at reproducing observed lake level variations using regional climate records. A sensitivity analysis using this model indicates that Lake Bosumtwi is highly sensitive to changes in precipitation, cloudiness and temperature. However, the model is also sensitive to changes in runoff related to vegetation, and this factor needs to be considered in simulating lake level variations. Both interannual and longer-term changes in lake level over the last 65 years appear to have been caused primarily by changes in precipitation, though the model also suggests that the drop in lake level over the last few decades has been moderated by changes in cloudiness and temperature over that time. Based on its effectiveness at simulating the magnitude and rate of lake level response to changing climate over the historical record, this model offers a potential future opportunity to examine the palaeoclimatic factors causing past lake level fluctuations preserved in the geological record at Lake Bosumtwi. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The duties of a receiver/manager in Nigeria and Ghana,INTERNATIONAL INSOLVENCY REVIEW, Issue 1 2005E. S. Nwauche This paper critically examines the duties of receiver/managers in Nigeria and Ghana with a view to determining their adequacy or otherwise. The paper distinguishes between a receiver/manager appointed pursuant to ownership or management dispute and a receiver/manager appointed pursuant to the realization of security. With respect to the former the paper concludes that the persons appointed thereby are better described as managers and suggests a more detailed elaboration of their duties. To determine the duties of receiver/managers appointed to realize security the paper examines the meaning of the receiver/managers; the capacity to be appointed to that office and the duties of a receiver/manager appointed by the court as well as those appointed out of court by the security holders. The paper also considers the consequences of a breach of duty and concludes that the law on receivership is largely the same in Nigeria and Ghana even though there is more litigation in Nigeria. Furthermore the paper suggests the importance of appointing professionals as receiver/managers; the need for the clarity of rules to enable the receiver/managers effectively discharge their duties to enable an assessment of the adequacy of the duties. In this regard the paper recommends a comprehensive reform of insolvency law in Nigeria and Ghana. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Globalization vs. localization: global food challenges and local solutionsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 3 2010Quaye Wilhelmina Abstract The objective of this study was to examine the effect of global,local interactions on food production and consumption in Ghana, and identify possible local solutions. Primary data were collected using a combination of quantitative-qualitative methods, which included focus group discussions and one-on-one interviews. Approximately 450 household heads were randomly selected and interviewed between August 2007 and August 2008 in Eastern, Central, Upper East and Northern Regions of Ghana. Findings revealed increasing consumption of foreign rice as opposed to decreasing consumption of local rice and other staples like millet, sorghum and yam because of global,local interactions. However, opportunities exist to re-localize production-consumption patterns through the use of ,glocal foods' like improved ,koose and waakye'. Referencing the situation in Ghana, the study recommends improved production and processing practices backed with appropriate technologies that reflect changing consumption dynamics in order to take full advantage of opportunities created as a result of global,local interactions. [source] The extent of marketability and consumer preferences for traditional leafy vegetables , a case study at selected markets in GhanaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 3 2009Wilhemina Quaye Abstract This paper reports on a survey conducted at two major marketing centres in Ghana; Tamale in the dry savannah zone and Kumasi in the forest zone. One hundred traders were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire and focus groups discussions held on traders' perceptions and consumer preferences, relative importance and indigenous nutritional knowledge of traditional leafy vegetables (TLVs). The survey established that, with the exception of Xanthosoma mafafa (cocoyam leaves), inter-market distribution of TLVs is limited because of their perishable nature, narrow utilization base and lack of storage techniques. Socio-culturally related factors limiting the distribution of TLVs include regional diversity and ethnic differences in the dietary patterns of the Ghanaian populace, inadequate knowledge about the methods of preparations as well as nutritional and medicinal values of TLVs. The most preferred TLVs as reflected in the consumers' buying behaviour and traders' perceptions are Xanthosoma mafafa (cocoyam leaves), Corchorus spp.(Ayoyo), Amaranthus spp (Alefu) and Hibicus sabdariffa (Bra). The order of preference in the forest zone is Xanthosoma mafafa (cocoyam leaves) > Corchorus spp.(Ayoyo) > Amaranthus spp (Alefu) > Hibicus sabdariffa (Bra), while the reverse order pertains in the savannah zone. [source] Groundnut consumption frequency in GhanaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 6 2008Curtis M. Jolly Abstract Groundnut (peanut) is an important food and oil crop in Ghana, but little is known about the factors influencing consumption. The study surveyed market participants; investigated the frequency and forms of groundnut consumed; and evaluated the factors influencing consumers' decisions to eat groundnuts in Ghana. About 80% of respondents consume groundnut and/or its products at least once a week and 32.0% consume it three times a week. Logistic models showed that age, education and the form in which groundnuts are consumed influence the frequency of groundnut consumption. Total revenue and the form in which groundnut is eaten influence farmers consumption decision whereas groundnut consumption by poultry farmers is influenced by knowledge of the health effects of groundnuts on birds and the form in which groundnut is eaten by the poultry producers. Processors' frequency of consumption is influenced by the form in which groundnut is consumed and their knowledge of reasons for sorting. The results are important for market segmentation for demand projection along the marketing chain. [source] Exploring consumer ethics in Ghana, West AfricaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 6 2007Samuel K. Bonsu Abstract Consumer ethics is a growing area of research that focused almost exclusively on consumers in the United States and, to a lesser degree, Europe and Asia. In this paper, we introduce an African element to the consumer ethics discourse by drawing on survey responses from over 300 Ghanaian consumers to explore their ethical beliefs and judgements. We analysed these data using regression techniques. Our findings show that Ghanaian consumers exhibit lower levels of ethics compared with their America counterparts, especially when the unethical actions facilitate the achievement of their goals. While Ghanaian consumers recognize the value of moral rules, they are prone to suspending their ethical positions as they deem necessary in a particular context. Implications for marketing strategy and future research are discussed. [source] Young child feeding practices and child nutritional status in rural GhanaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 4 2007Christina A. Nti Abstract A study was conducted in the Manya Krobo district of Ghana with the objective of studying young child feeding practices and child nutrition situation in the area. The study was a cross-sectional survey involving 400 mothers with young children between 0 and 18 months. A combination of methods, including structured interviews using questionnaire, dietary assessment and anthropometry, was used to collect data for the study. The data obtained were analysed using spss version 10 in Windows. Means and standard deviations were generated for continuous variables and frequency distribution for categorical variables. The results revealed that although breastfeeding rates were high (97%), complementary feeding practices were less than ideal with as many as 14% of the children being introduced to complementary foods below the age of 3 months. The nutritional quality of complementary foods were poor and the prevalence of stunting among the children was high (20%). For adequate complementary feeding and improved child nutrition in this population, nutrition education intervention programmes aimed at improving nutrient intake among young children, through improved diet diversity and increased use of local foods rich in iron and other nutrients, need to be undertaken. [source] Effect of caregiver feeding behaviours on child nutritional status in rural GhanaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 3 2007Christina A. Nti Abstract A six-month observational study involving 100 mothers with infants between the ages of 6 and 12 months was conducted in the Manya Krobo district of Ghana. The objective was to assess the role of caregiver feeding behaviours on child nutritional status using a modified positive deviance approach. Each child was in the study for 6 months, during which they were observed at home once a month. On each visit, data were collected on the child anthropometry, child meal frequency, diet diversity, responsiveness of caregiver during feeding, child's appetite and feeding atmosphere as well as caregiver hygienic practices related to feeding. Using weight-for-age (WAZ) and length-for-age (LAZ) scores, the children were classified as positive or negative deviant children. The study revealed significant differences between the two groups of children in terms of caregiver feeding behaviours. Positive deviant children had significantly higher meal frequencies (3.1 ± 0.4 vs. 2.4 ± 0.6, P = 0.001), diet diversity scores (6.3 ± 0.6 vs. 3.7 ± 1.1, P = 0.001), were fed under better hygienic conditions (7.2 ± 0.9 vs. 4.2 ± 1.1, P = 0.001) and were much more interested in food during feeding (85.8% vs. 59.3%). Caregiver responsiveness during feeding was also significantly higher among the positive deviant group (6.5 ± 0.8 vs. 4.5 ± 0.9, P = 0.001). This study has demonstrated the tremendous effect of caregiver feeding behaviours on child nutritional outcomes and provides a scientific basis for introducing care during feeding as a component of intervention to improve child nutritional status in Ghana. [source] Food consumption patterns, dietary quality and health status of expectant mothers: case studies in suburban and rural communities in GhanaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 1 2002Christina A. Nti Abstract The study was conducted to determine the food consumption patterns, dietary quality and health status of expectant women and also to assess their level of awareness of nutritional requirements during pregnancy. Food beliefs, taboos and superstitions held by the women were also investigated. Using the purposive sampling technique, 30 pregnant women attending the Maternal and Child Health Clinic at Dodowa (rural) and University Hospital, Legon (suburban), were selected for the study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on the respondents' nutritional knowledge, beliefs, taboos and superstitions and health status. A food frequency questionnaire and the 24-h dietary recall method were used to obtain information on food consumption patterns and dietary quality. The study revealed that, although the majority of the respondents (83.3%) had some knowledge of nutrition, not all were applying it in their feeding practices because of financial constraints. With regard to consumption patterns, most of the women (83.3%) were having three meals a day, while the rest either ate twice a day or anytime they were hungry. Seventy-three per cent of the respondents also increased their food intake during pregnancy. Foods eaten were based mainly on starchy roots and tubers, cereals and vegetables. Legumes, oilseeds and fruits were often lacking in the main meals of respondents. Although animal products were consumed daily, the quantities taken were very small to provide for adequate protein, especially in the rural area. Various types of food were avoided by some of the expectant mothers for reasons such as nausea, loss of appetite, taboos and superstition. With regard to dietary quality, respondents from the rural area had diets of poorer quality in terms of nutrient intake compared with those from the suburban area. In both communities, iron contents of diets were quite low. Forty-seven per cent of the women interviewed were anaemic, with a higher prevalence of anaemia being observed in the rural community. Common ailments reported by the women were dizziness, headache, waist pains and malaria. Based on the results of the study, it was recommended that nutrition education for pregnant women should be stepped up at antenatal clinics especially in rural areas. [source] Consumer preferences and fungal and mycotoxin contamination of dried cassava products from GhanaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2001Peter W. Wareing Summary Members of one hundred and twenty five households from 19 villages producing dried cassava products were interviewed in Ghana. Kokonte was the most important cassava product in 19% of the households processing it. Most kokonte was produced between January and March. Mould growth during processing or storage was a problem during June and July, which is part of the rainy season. Most producers and market traders preferred non-mouldy kokonte, although many (59%) would consume a mouldy product. There was a price premium for non-mouldy kokonte. The most commonly isolated fungi were yeasts and Cladosporium spp. (44 out of 49 samples). Other fungi isolated included Aspergillus spp. (20 samples); Penicillium spp. (15 samples) and Fusarium spp. (30 samples). Sterigmatocystin was detected in 10 samples at 0.17,1.67 mg kg,1; patulin in 4 samples at 0.55,0.85 mg kg,1; cyclopiazonic acid in 4 samples at 0.08,0.72 mg kg,1; penicillic acid in 5 samples at 0.06,0.23 mg kg,1 and tenuazonic acid in 3 samples at 0.02,0.34 mg kg,1. Mycotoxin contamination of mouldy kokonte was a potential problem; there is therefore the need to improve kokonte processing to avoid mould growth. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||