Preferred in-kind compensation for individuals/households

Individuals/households preferred types of in-kind compensation were discussed in the various FGs (see Box 1). Differences were noted in the type of individual in-kind compensation preferred by men and women. Women were mostly concerned about the elderly and future generations. Also, whereas all groups demanded for housing, in-migrants specifically requested that these houses be built in their hometowns for them. For instance, as immigrants in Adonikrom pointed out, “cocoa is what has brought us all the way here. So if we are no longer going to have land to grow cocoa, it is better we return home”.

Table 6: Compensation Preferences (By consensus) Focus

FG 3 Yes Yes Women/Mixed group of migrants from northern

Ghana

FG 4 Yes Yes Mixed Ashanti

group(men and women)

FG 5 Yes Yes Men

FG 6 Men

FG 7 Yes Yes Women

FG 8 Yes Yes Men

FG 9 Yes Yes Women

FG 10 Men

FG 11 Yes Yes Yes Women

Almost all the groups supported the idea of a scholarship scheme for their children´s education. The migrant women’s group at Adonikrom raised the question of graduate unemployment. It was suggested therefore that their children after completion of school be put in lucrative employment.

According to the mixed Ashanti group in Sewum, the issue of Social Security (pension) for the elderly ones must not be overlooked. “The same way that government workers go on retirement at age 60 and beyond, REDD+ implementers should think of doing something like that for our elders” (middle-aged man, Sewum).

Participants also proposed for the creation of alternative livelihood options, coupled with training opportunities/facilities. As part of their compensation, women’s groups asked that they be supplied with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). To them, collection of fuelwood is a strenuous task; they freely welcomed the prospect of cooking with gas.

Box 1: Preferred in-kind compensation for individuals/households

Preferred Community compensation

The communities preferred type of compensation was largely in the form of infrastructural development (See Box 2). Their demands for infrastructure building for the community included schools, hospitals, roads, pharmacies and market places for women among others.

One women’s group suggested a cash payment for the community as well, as she explained that ‘everyone in the community, farmers and non-farmers alike, contribute in one way or another to forest protection’. This accords with the Tanzanian study, where majority of participants agreed that compensation be paid to all forest users, irrespective of their burden of loss (Dyngeland and Waized 2013). Some group members countered these views by making the point that those who use the forest illegally should rather be punished so it deters others from doing so.

Another migrant women’s group agreed that farmers should receive more compensation than the community, as not all of them will benefit from the community infrastructure. This was taken to mean that as migrants, they will gradually return to their homelands one day and the infrastructure may not directly be useful to them.

‘At the back of our minds, we know we are returning home sooner than later, because we are not indigenes. The peculiar problem here is that our land is not ideal for farming, it is best for mining. Oil deposits have been found here and the mining companies have started coming.

 Scholarship for children’s education

 Provide gainful employment to children after their education (women’s FG in Adonikrom suggested this)

 Housing

 Housing in hometowns (for migrants)

 Establish social security scheme for older farmers

 Provide alternative sources of livelihood such as livestock rearing, animal husbandry

 Assist in building stores/ shops for setting up of businesses

 Supply LPG for cooking (suggested by women’s groups)

 Provide training in alternative livelihood activities (including livestock rearing, pig rearing, poultry farming, fish farming, welding and fitting, hairdressing, help to open petty trading stores, grocery shops, etc)

We suffer to get our cocoa yields. We will be glad if you take the land and compensate us individually’- (Mixed FGD in Sewum, Fieldwork 2012).

Also, being women and migrants, they will not have so much say in managing community funds. As discussed earlier, the mixed group of Ashanti men and women in Sewum were against the idea of compensating the community, saying ‘it is we the individuals who make up the community. Compensating us means indirectly compensating the community. No need to compensate both’. It is interesting to mention that out of all the groups, the Sewum group were the most vocal, and seemed to know straight away what they wanted and did not want.

Box 2: Preferred community compensation

Who should receive cash payment?

When asked who should receive cash payments, all 11 groups stressed that farmers should be paid cash as compensation. Six groups emphasized that although all forest users including hunters, charcoal burners and others deserve to receive cash too; cocoa farmers should be paid more. Still, two womens groups (one indigenous, one migrant) supported the idea that cocoa farmers be paid more than other forest users who will be directly affected by the loss of

 Provision of potable drinking water and toilet facilities

 Building and maintaining roads

 Creating sawmills, rubber and palm plantations to serve as employment avenues

 Employing community members as forest guards

 Fee-free education for children in REDD affected communities

 Building more schools, especially secondary schools

 Hospitals and health posts

 Give cash to community (one women’s group)

 Compensate farmers more and community less (women’s group)

 Building libraries and computer labs for schools

 Teachers bungalows

 Street lights (Brusa women’s group)

 Pharmacies (‘drug stores’)

income from forest use. The reason for this as they put it “cocoa is a more valuable crop. It is because of cocoa that Ghana is on the international market. Those who grow it ought to be treated more special “.

The indigenous women’s group again agreed that other auxiliary forest users such as workers in the timber and wood industry should be compensated. They were also concerned about the entire village. A consensus decision was taken that all inhabitants of the communities close to the forest should be paid something too. Here, the women’s concern for all members of society was once more established in their discussions.

A mixed group of migrant men also agreed that landowners living in very close proximity to the forests should be compensated, as they are heavily dependent on it for their livelihoods.

6.5 Basis, levels, frequency and flow of compensation