Livelihood outcomes of large-scale land acquisitions in Northern Ghana in the context of water, energy and food nexus

This paper draws experiences and insights from two Large-Scale Land Investment (LSLI) cases in three predominantly rural districts in northern Ghana to answer two fundamental questions. First, how does LSLI affect livelihood assets and outcomes of local inhabitants, particularly smallholder farmers, to whom land remains primary productive asset? Second, what is the nature of trade-offs associated with such LSLI cases within the context of water, energy and food nexus, and how are these trade-offs beneficial at the local scale? The study followed a cross-sectional case study design using mixed-methods approach. Main findings are that, whereas LSLI has generally improved availability and access to water resources for domestic purposes, whilst undermining outputs of major food crops and community access to fuel-wood due to limited access to arable lands with regard to Case A observed in Sene West District, in Case B observed in Bole and Banda Districts, LSLI has subverted food crop outputs and limited access to water resources for farming and fishing, but at the same time improved community access to hydro-electric power and other social infrastructure. It is concluded based on empirical evidence from this study that, LSLIs have stronger tendency to subvert livelihood sustainability, exacerbate vulnerability and deepen poverty traps for most rural households, hence, could engender retrogressive rural transformation.