Downstream effects of dams on livelihoods of river-dependent communities

The case of Ghana’s Kpong Dam

Datos Bibliográficos

ID9849941
AutoresKwesi Owusu (0000-0003-1322-0566, University of Ghana), Kwadwo Owusu (Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana), Peter Bilson Obour (0000-0001-9227-2772, Aarhus University, autor de correspondencia), Maame Asiwah Nkansah (Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana)
Año2017
Volumen117
Número1
Páginas1-10
Fecha de publicación2017-01-02
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaGeografisk Tidsskrift-Danish Journal of Geography (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0016-7223 • E-ISSN: 1903-2471
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00167223.2016.1258318
OpenAlexW2555458959
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas6
Referencias citadas26

Construction of dams affects the livelihoods of the population living along the dammed river. There is a need for more studies to guide dam development policies and management to safeguard the livelihoods of local river users. This paper examines the effects of dams on the socio-economic livelihoods of downstream communities by drawing on the Kpong Dam in Ghana constructed from 1979 to 1982 with the goal of supplying energy and for irrigation purposes. Primary data were collected in resettled and non-resettled downstream communities using a mixed-research approach. This case study highlights how the Kpong Dam has affected the downstream river-dependent population whose livelihoods, particularly farming and fishing revolved around the seasonal flow regimes of the Volta River. Our study challenges the general perception that dams increase agricultural production by illustrating that developing ancillary facilities such as irrigation schemes as part of dam projects can enhance all-year-round agricultural production to improve food and income security of downstream households only when constraints such as lack of farm inputs are addressed. To safeguard livelihoods and limit the social impacts of dams, compensation schemes and alternative livelihood activities should be designed to include resettled and non-resettled communities along the downstream areas affected by dam projects

Agriculture · Business · Downstream (manufacturing · Economics · Environmental planning · Food security · Geography · Livelihood · Natural resource economics · Population · Water resource management · Dam Engineering and Safety · Environmental Science · Hydropower, Displacement, Environmental Impact · Water Governance and Infrastructure