Prospects of payment for ecosystem services: A case for teak and cashew plantation development in Ghana

Governments and institutions across the globe are strengthening efforts to safeguard ecosystem diversity from deteriorating; while promoting proper conservation management so that ecosystem services are sustainably explored for human benefits. A major challenge that obstructs the success of environmental conservation management efforts have normally been the willingness of individuals and local community members to allocate lands for biodiversity conservation. In order to circumvent these challenges and without limiting human socio-economic needs, payment for ecosystem services (PES) programme was initiated and endorsed by governments as a relevant modality and policy framework to protect and restore ecosystems. Unfortunately, there is paucity of information on this by some countries, such as Ghana. Since its inception, PES has great prospects for especially two economic tree crops, such as cashew and teak. That notwithstanding, the perception of smallholder farmers on ecosystem-friendly practices especially PES for cashew and teak plantation development in Ghana is unclear. Therefore, the present study sought to review the concept of payment for ecosystem, its implications on teak and cashew plantation development in Ghana, as well as to investigate the perception of smallholder farmers on the new development policy. It is clear from this review that the adoption and implementation of PES holds great potential for cashew and teak plantation development in Ghana. Cashew and teak are economic trees which prospects for economic development but due to certain constraints, their potentials from the stand point of PES are yet to be realised in the country. One major weakness of the cashew and teak plantation development is inadequate land and unfavourable tenure systems; apart from the inability of smallholder farmers to successfully develop and implement PES schemes for cashew and teak plantation. It was apparent that PES holds great economic prospects for smallholders in cashew and teak plantation development and that it is multi stakeholder approaches and not business as usual that will not allow us to experience the full benefits from this pursuit. Based on the outcomes of this review, it is recommended that trans-disciplinary research be conducted to evaluate the economic, biological and social implications of adopting PES in plantation systems and consequently effects on agricultural systems.