Dr Jewel Andoh (in the center), a Research Scientist at the CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, finalized his studies at the Institute in Hamburg after a two months research stay. He presented results of a Ghanaian case study that are based on a novel policy coherence analytical framework currently developed by the forest policy group of the Thünen Institute of Forestry. The framework aims to analyze national policies in national AFOLU (Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use) sectors and better align them with public spending in order to curb deforestation and forest degradation while promoting sustainable land use. The work is carried out in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the context of the ForCE project.
At its core, the framework provides a comprehensive analysis of national policies, laws, and policy instruments that influence land-use decisions. It evaluates how well these instruments align with policy objectives, offering insight into whether e.g. Ghana’s policy landscape operates in a coordinated manner or contains conflicting priorities. This analysis is reinforced by public expenditure reviews (PER) that reveal whether funding patterns match policy ambitions. Linking public expenditure reviews with policy coherence analyses can help in tracking how government funds are allocated and in identifying gaps in financing. By linking coherence analysis to effectiveness surveys, the framework seeks to ensure that public investments effectively support sustainability goals.
The findings for Ghana paint a largely positive picture based on a desk study. There is a clear degree of alignment between national policies in the land use sector and their operational implementing instruments, particularly in areas such as forest conservation, climate change mitigation, agroforestry, and sustainable agriculture. These areas benefit from mutually reinforcing strategies, indicating that current efforts are broadly moving in the same direction. The study shows that forest conservation and restoration initiatives are closely connected to carbon market mechanisms, creating practical opportunities to scale voluntary carbon market projects. The evaluations are currently continued with respect to expenditure reviews and will be followed by a national workshop that aims to contrast the de jure findings with perceptions of stakeholders related to de facto implementation.
- Contact
Jewel Andoh, PhD · Research Scientist
CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana
jandoh@csir-forig.org.gh
+233 204044795
