Philip Aniah is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sustainable Development Studies at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Ghana. His research interests include the intersections of environmental sustainability, climate change adaptation, and livelihood resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa. Philip is committed to advancing sustainable development through evidence-based research, teaching, and mentorship of postgraduate students.
MIASA Project: The decline in donkey ownership and the implications on farmers’ livelihoods and climate change adaptive capacity in Northern Ghana
Climate change presents an escalating threat to sustainable development in Ghana, necessitating localized resilience strategies. In rural agrarian economies, donkeys serve as critical assets for low-carbon transport, agricultural productivity, and women’s economic empowerment. Despite their utility, donkey populations in Ghana have plummeted by 77% due to the surging international demand for hides used in traditional Chinese medicine (ejiao). This drastic decline, driven by both sales and theft, has left rural households vulnerable to significant production and financial shocks. This study addresses a critical knowledge gap regarding how the loss of donkey ownership undermines climate resilience and livelihood sustenance. Utilizing a mixed-methods research design, the project investigates the socio-economic consequences for current and former donkey owners to provide evidence-based insights for policy interventions aimed at safeguarding rural livelihoods.
Selected publications
Aniah, P., Kaunza-Nu-Dem Millar, K., & Akongbangre, J. N. (2025). Dynamics and perceived drivers of land use and cover change in the Kassena-Nankana West district of Ghana. Environmental Development, 54, 101154.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2025.101154.
Aniah, P., & Bawakyillenuo, S. (2024). Gender vulnerability and coping strategies to changing provisioning ecosystem services in Bongo and Kassena-Nankana West districts in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Local Environment, 1-15.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/13549839.2024.2391041.
Aniah, P. (2024). Determinants of adaptation strategies to offset decreasing provisioning ecosystem services in the Savannah ecological zone of Ghana. Environmental Challenges, 14, 100856. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2024.100856.
Millar, K. K. N. D., Nayaga, P., & Aniah, P. (2024). Migration and well-being: an impact study of migrant cashew farmers in the Bono East Region of Ghana. Cogent Social Sciences, 10(1), 2354966. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2024.2354966.
Aniah, P., & Bawakyillenuo, S. (2023). Smallholder farmers’ perceived effects of land use and cover change on provisioning ecosystem services in the savannah ecological zone of Ghana. NJAS: Impact in Agricultural and Life Sciences, 95(1), 2274583. https://doi.org/10.1080/27685241.2023.2274583.
Aniah P., Bawakyillenuo S., Codjoe S. N. A., & Dzanku F. M. (2023). Land use and land cover change detection and prediction based on CA-Markov chain in the savannah ecological zone of Ghana. Environmental Challenges, 10, 100664.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2022.100664.
