Public Lecture: Petroleum Driven Land Grab; Threat to Peasant Livelihood? Speaker: Jones Ebenezer Osei (Akenten Appiah-Menka University)

Abstract:

This study conducted in the Western region of Ghana, specifically Ellembelle District which is a hub of Ghana’s oil and gas activities and industries, critically looked at the gaps and overlaps in the land transfer deal from the communities to the oil companies in terms of the level of participatory land administration used for the land transfer, the level of peasant livelihoods after the transfer, the relationship between the level of participatory land administration and level of peasant livelihoods associated with the practice of participatory land administration and the predictive variables needed for livelihood enhancement amongst these fisher folks. 300 randomly selected beneficiaries of the ENI Livelihood Restoration Plan (LRP) were involved in the study. Frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviation, correlation coefficients, and regression were used to examine the data. Respondents rated the participatory land administration used for the land transfer in terms of land policies, institutional arrangements, and land information as being low. The level of peasant livelihoods after the transfer in terms of livelihood assets, resilience and risk management strategies was rated as being moderately high by respondents.   There was a positive  and moderate relationship between the level of peasant livelihoods and the level of land policies and  but a positive and low relationship between the level of peasant livelihoods and sex, age, educational level and capacity training. The highest contributor of  participatory land administration to peasant livelihood were sex, age, educational level, capacity training and land policy (97%). The study therefore recommends that capacity building, gender related and customary related issues should be factored in participator land transfers to help better peasant livelihoods.

Jones Ebenezer Osei is a Social, Educational, and Agricultural Development professional with over ten (10) years of experience developing, implementing, managing, monitoring, evaluating, and coordinating several developmental interventions and gender-related programs. He has experience working with government, NGOs, and the private sector to strengthen demand and supply linkages, create an enabling environment, and improve the living conditions of communities and the vulnerable in society. He holds a Practical Proficiency Certificate in Agriculture, NACVET Certificate in General Agriculture, Diploma in Education, Bachelor of General Agricultural Science, MPhil in Agriculture Extension, and Ph. D. in Agriculture Extension. He is currently a Lecturer in the College of Agriculture Education at the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development. He worked as a Senior Research Associate for Institute for Green Growth Solutions. As an agricultural extension agent and an ardent advocate for Conservation Agriculture, he has experience in farmer education, consultation, and incubation of both agricultural and non-agricultural businesses.