Poverty Dimensions of Public Governance and Forest Management ...

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5.1.2 Study sites
" In the northern transitional parkland environment Subinso, situated 2 km from the Branam
State farms, was selected to represent a settlement which lay within the heart of agricultural
input delivery systems.
" Mansie and Weila were selected to represent settlements which lay beyond the influence of
agricultural input and mechanisation services.
" In the semi-deciduous forest fringe, Kokoago was selected to represent a settlement in the
vicinity of state agricultural services.
" Buoku represented a settlement with low dependence on state agricultural input delivery
systems. Buoku also represented a settlement in the immediate vicinity of a forest reserve.
Additional study sites were also selected in the transitional parkland, in the area of Nsawkaw
(Nsawkaw town, and the neighbouring villages of Tanoso and Njau, and Atuna, a settlement of
Dagau migrants 12 kms. from the road). These sites (and also, in part, Weila) were selected
because of their interest in relation to charcoal production, as will be discussed below.
5.1.3 Charcoal as a case study of multiple land use conflicts
To understand the complex institutional arrangement which govern multiple land uses the study
focussed on charcoal production. During the period of research, charcoal production had become
an important policy issue in the area. Some district administrations in Brong Ahafo were
attempting to ban charcoal production and others were attempting to regulate production.
Conflicts over charcoal production between different interest groups in various settlements were
common. These groups included migrant Sisala charcoal burners, youth with interests in charcoal
burning, and chiefs and elders attempting to control the charcoal trade. Different settlements were
chosen to reflect variations of conflicts and negotiation. At Mansie, migrant charcoal burners had
been encouraged to leave the settlement a few years back and local youth were now in control of
charcoal burning, but in conflict with elders. At Weila, migrant charcoal burners had recently left
the settlement as a result of regulations introduced by chiefs and elders and youth were
attempting to establish control over charcoal. At Nsawkaw, charcoal was still being produced by
migrant Sisalas, but there had been conflicts between charcoal burners and farmers over rights
over trees, and conflicts between chiefs and district assembly members and unit committees over
rights to regulate charcoal. As a result of this interest in the management of charcoal, northern
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