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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Evaluating The Integration Of Traditional And Western Medicine In Rural Ghana: The Role Of Healers And The Government, T. Nicole Lemon May 2024

Evaluating The Integration Of Traditional And Western Medicine In Rural Ghana: The Role Of Healers And The Government, T. Nicole Lemon

Anthropology Undergraduate Senior Theses

A question of pressing importance for the healthcare system in Ghana is the integration between biomedical physicians, who are unreachable for many rural citizens, and traditional healers, who fill in the gaps in access for rural and non-rural citizens seeking care, and are oftentimes the preferred choice. The care offered by each system is derived from differing paradigms, with the biomedical related to Westernized practices and the healing related to holistic, traditional approaches. Integration of these systems would allow for more acknowledgment and communication between these two different kinds of providers, which in turn would improve the quality of care …


The Ghanaian War Against Malaria: A Geospatial Approach To Malaria And Healthcare Access In Ghana, Emmanuel Aklie Apr 2024

The Ghanaian War Against Malaria: A Geospatial Approach To Malaria And Healthcare Access In Ghana, Emmanuel Aklie

Theses

This geospatial research project aims to analyze the complex factors influencing malaria incidence in Ghana, including healthcare access, cultural beliefs, and preventive measures. Using GIS mapping and spatial analysis, the study examines malaria distribution and healthcare facility locations to identify hotspots and access inequalities. Combining quantitative data from sources like Demographic and Health Surveys with qualitative methods like surveys and interviews, the project analyzes the relationship between malaria prevalence and vaccination rates, bed net usage, and cultural views on treatment. By taking a comprehensive approach focused on evidence-based insights, the research seeks to inform targeted interventions by the Ghanaian government …


Use Of Social Media In Public Archives: Perspectives About Ghana’S Readiness And Perceived Challenges., Reuben Saah, Samuel Abban, Esther White Dec 2023

Use Of Social Media In Public Archives: Perspectives About Ghana’S Readiness And Perceived Challenges., Reuben Saah, Samuel Abban, Esther White

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies

The study explored the readiness and challenges of social media adoption at the Public Records and Archives Administration Department (PRAAD) in Ghana and was guided by the Iacovou, Charalambos L., Izak Benbasat, and Albert S. Dexter model of Electronic Data Interchange adoption. Using the qualitative approach, 13 participants drawn from the Archives Division were interviewed to explore their perspectives. The results showed that besides the participants high understanding and awareness of the benefits of social media adoption, clients were interested to engage PRAAD on social media. However, PRAAD’s readiness to adopt and effectively use social media was inadequate due to …


Academic Libraries And Distance Education In Ghana: Evidence From The Sd Dombo University Of Business And Integrated Development Studies, Banleman Konlan Mr, Bawa Kojo Dukper Mr, Laar Dabontin Mr Oct 2023

Academic Libraries And Distance Education In Ghana: Evidence From The Sd Dombo University Of Business And Integrated Development Studies, Banleman Konlan Mr, Bawa Kojo Dukper Mr, Laar Dabontin Mr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study examines the role of academic libraries in supporting distance education at the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies in Ghana. The findings highlight the importance of digital access and resources, information literacy instruction and support services, collaborative partnerships, and user satisfaction. The study reveals that academic libraries have made significant investments in digital collections, ensuring remote access to a wide range of scholarly materials for distance learners. Information literacy programs and support services are crucial in equipping students with research skills and enhancing their academic success. Collaborative partnerships between librarians, faculty, and other stakeholders integrate library services …


Maize Farmers’ Use, Preference, And Trustworthiness Of Information Sources And Communication Channels In Dormaa, Ghana: A Gender Comparison., Namah Taku-Forchu, Shuyang Qu, Misty D. Lambert, Michael S. Retallick, Jonathan D. Ulmer, George P. Opit Sep 2023

Maize Farmers’ Use, Preference, And Trustworthiness Of Information Sources And Communication Channels In Dormaa, Ghana: A Gender Comparison., Namah Taku-Forchu, Shuyang Qu, Misty D. Lambert, Michael S. Retallick, Jonathan D. Ulmer, George P. Opit

Journal of Applied Communications

The study aimed to identify maize farmers' use, preference, and trustworthiness of the various information sources and communication channels farmers in Dormaa, Ghana, used to receive information about their farming activities. A questionnaire was developed, and data was collected from 217 maize farmers. The result revealed more males are involved in maize production than females. Most males indicated they received training in using hermetic bags more than female farmers. Respondents ranked Extension agents highest as the source from which they receive their farming information. Based on the level of preference for the information sources, the results show a statistically significant …


Right To Information Act And Records Management Practices In Some Selected Metropolitan Assemblies In Ghana, Ernest Effah Mr., Akwasi Duffour Frimpong Mr. Jul 2023

Right To Information Act And Records Management Practices In Some Selected Metropolitan Assemblies In Ghana, Ernest Effah Mr., Akwasi Duffour Frimpong Mr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

ABSTRACT

Every organization requires records. Transparency, accountability, and efficient service delivery are all enhanced by effective records management. The capacity to exercise one's right to access records is contingent on effective records management and its availability in government ministries and public bodies. The study investigated the records management and the right to information in some selected metropolitan assemblies in Ghana. These selected metropolitan assemblies include the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, and Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. A survey research design was used to carry out the study. A total of 80 participants were used for the study. Questionnaires were used …


The Relationship Between Leadership Transparency And Accountability On Public Rural Basic Education In Amenfi Central District, Western Region Of Ghana, Emmanuel Osei-Kissi Jun 2023

The Relationship Between Leadership Transparency And Accountability On Public Rural Basic Education In Amenfi Central District, Western Region Of Ghana, Emmanuel Osei-Kissi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation assessed the relationship between leadership, accountability, and transparency in basic public rural schools in the Amenfi Central district of Ghana. Over the past decade, leadership, transparency, and accountability measures have addressed developmental failures in the educational sector. However, most of these studies are done in isolation. The problem is that studying the concepts (leadership, accountability, and transparency) in an isolated manner does not provide a holistic examination of the effect of these concepts in the educational sector, especially in basic rural schools. The dissertation sought answers to whether the leadership style, accountability, and transparency techniques affect school management …


When God Gives You Tomatoes, Don't Import Them From Italy: A Case Study On The Impact Of Supranational Institutional Policy On The Ghanaian Tomato Industry, Kaci Wilcox May 2023

When God Gives You Tomatoes, Don't Import Them From Italy: A Case Study On The Impact Of Supranational Institutional Policy On The Ghanaian Tomato Industry, Kaci Wilcox

Honors Theses

Supranational organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the European Union (EU) have impressed market liberalizing policies upon developing countries for decades in efforts to stabilize their economies and introduce them to global markets. While these programs and the resulting popular scholarly debates are typically geared toward macroeconomic indicators, the way those policies affect industries on the micro level has been somewhat overlooked, especially when considering how such policy over time could affect an individual industry. This thesis studies how supranational organizations such as the IMF, the World Bank, and the EU contribute to the …


Public Sector Leadership During The Covid-19 Crisis In Ghana, Komla D. Dzigbede, Anthony M. Ivanov Apr 2023

Public Sector Leadership During The Covid-19 Crisis In Ghana, Komla D. Dzigbede, Anthony M. Ivanov

Public Administration Faculty Scholarship

This article examines public sector leadership during the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic in Ghana. It focuses on the Bank of Ghana–the nation’s central bank responsible for monetary policy and financial sector leadership–and examines the critical leadership attributes that the central bank demonstrated through its administrative and policy responses to the crisis. The findings from textual analysis of monetary policy committee press briefings show that the central bank demonstrated several criteria of effective public service leadership during the crisis, namely sensemaking, critical decision-making, communication, accountability, adaptability and, to an extent, learning. However, the textual evidence suggests that the …


Assessment Of Industrial Policies In Ghana: A Case Study On The Current Policy Of One District One Factory Policy (1d1f), Ama Nyamekye Obenewa Otoo Apr 2023

Assessment Of Industrial Policies In Ghana: A Case Study On The Current Policy Of One District One Factory Policy (1d1f), Ama Nyamekye Obenewa Otoo

Masters Theses

Industrialization has been the weakest link in Ghana’s economic development efforts. Import-substitution industrialization policy of the 1960s-1980s and the outward liberalized industrialization policy of 1990-2020 (Vision 2020), have failed to achieve the goals of industrialization. This is due to several reasons including the selfish interests of these political leaders and lack of technological advancement. In 2017, the elected New Patriotic Party (NPP), announced a new industrialization policy known as “one district, one factory" (1D1F), which was a political campaign promise to realign industrial strategies. The goal of this policy is to ensure that industries are spread equitably among the country's …


User Perspective Of Reference Service Provision At The National Film And Television Institute (Nafti), Ghana., Elizabeth Osae Koranteng, Patience Emefa Dzandza Ocloo Mar 2023

User Perspective Of Reference Service Provision At The National Film And Television Institute (Nafti), Ghana., Elizabeth Osae Koranteng, Patience Emefa Dzandza Ocloo

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study set out to investigate the reference service provision at the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI), Ghana from the perspective of users. A total number of 335 copies of questionnaire were administered to students and faculty of the National Film and Television Institute out of which 234 copies of the questionnaires were returned and used for the study representing a 69.9% response rate. The findings show among others that though the majority of respondents found the services and resources provided in the reference section coupled with staff attitude and skills of the library satisfactory, there is lack of …


Child Abuse In Residential Homes Of Ghana, Alyssa Minor Mar 2023

Child Abuse In Residential Homes Of Ghana, Alyssa Minor

Ballard Brief

Children placed in residential homes in Ghana suffer from physical violence and physical neglect more often than children in family-based homes. In overcrowded residential homes, many basic needs are often not being met, and the use of physical violence is common due to inadequate funding, lack of training, lack of clear policies, and years of normalizing violent disciplinary actions. This problem of child abuse within residential homes of Ghana creates financial burdens on the country and negative psychosocial effects for children suffering from neglect or physical violence, hindering their ability to reach their full earnings potential. Very few interventions have …


The Superstition That Enslaves Virgin Girls In Ghana: An Exploration Of The Origins, Evolution, And Practice Of Trokosi, Emmanuel Sarpong Owusu Mar 2023

The Superstition That Enslaves Virgin Girls In Ghana: An Exploration Of The Origins, Evolution, And Practice Of Trokosi, Emmanuel Sarpong Owusu

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Trokosi is a religious practice in some parts of West Africa where young virgin girls are sent to fetish shrines to become sex slaves as part of rituals meant to prevent a communal calamity supposedly provoked by the transgressions of members of the girls’ family. This study offers additional insight into the concept, origins, evolution, and practice of trokosi, highlighting the cultural, socio-economic, and legal contexts of this practice in Ghana. This goal is achieved by reviewing pertinent literature and interviewing 10 participants: academics; activists; traditional leaders; and ordinary community members. The study establishes that trokosi, which is …


Growing Up Ghanaian: The Well-Being Of Ghanaian Children In The United States And Ghana, Akua Bemma Opoku Jan 2023

Growing Up Ghanaian: The Well-Being Of Ghanaian Children In The United States And Ghana, Akua Bemma Opoku

Dissertations and Theses

Children’s subjective well-being is a child’s judgment of their well-being. Subjective well- being can have positive and negative indicators. Positive indicators include but are not limited to safety, feeling happy, and feeling excited. Negative indicators include but are not limited to lack of safety, lack of confidence, and sadness. Children’s ethnic background and their relation to their ethnic background may influence their subjective well-being. Research focusing on ethnic identity and child well-being has found positive associations. Research has also found a relationship between the context of family, school, peers, religion, community, and ethnic identity. This comparative phenomenological study aimed to …


Hiv/Aids Policy In Nigeria And Ghana: How Socio-Cultural Norms Prejudice Sexual Minorities And Adolescents, Jibril Richter Jan 2023

Hiv/Aids Policy In Nigeria And Ghana: How Socio-Cultural Norms Prejudice Sexual Minorities And Adolescents, Jibril Richter

Masters Theses

Policy researchers tend to focus on policy change and policy actors. Rarely is attention given to the influence of dominant socio-cultural values on domestic policies. This research aims to draw a connection between HIV policy discourse and strategies, and the mainstream beliefs and norms of the society where they are developed. The significance of the study is to highlight the challenge that these dominant values could pose to the development of comprehensive and effective policies. The research uses Critical Discourse Analysis to draw a linkage between HIV policies developed in Ghana and Nigeria. The study finds that while mainstream norms …


Tackling Grand Societal Challenges: Understanding When And How Reverse Engineering Fosters Frugal Product Innovation In An Emerging Market, Samuel Adomako, Michael Asiedu Gyensare, Joseph Amankwah-Amoah, Pervaiz Akhtar, Nazim Hussain Jan 2023

Tackling Grand Societal Challenges: Understanding When And How Reverse Engineering Fosters Frugal Product Innovation In An Emerging Market, Samuel Adomako, Michael Asiedu Gyensare, Joseph Amankwah-Amoah, Pervaiz Akhtar, Nazim Hussain

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Societies are confronted with grand challenges that require the efforts and coordination of diverse stakeholders. In this context, the role of for-profit organizations has become vital in addressing such challenges. Drawing on the strategy tripod perspective, this study investigated the influence of reverse engineering on frugal product-innovation performance (PIP) through the mediating effect of frugal innovation (i.e., cost innovation, and affordable value innovation). In addition, we examined the moderating impact of the industry environment (i.e., technological turbulence) and institutional context (i.e., legal inefficiency) on this relationship. We tested our hypotheses using time-lagged data from 243 small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) …


Ghana Dier: An Analysis Of How Availability And Access Impact Food Security In Ghana, Aishat Doyinsola Jimoh Jan 2023

Ghana Dier: An Analysis Of How Availability And Access Impact Food Security In Ghana, Aishat Doyinsola Jimoh

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines the different causes of food insecurity, the solutions for them, and how Ghana sits on the scale of global food insecurity. Ghana is located in Africa, where food insecurity is the highest in the world, so it would be reasonable to expect food insecurity to be high in Ghana, too. In comparison to its neighboring countries, Ghana has the best food security, standing at number three in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper uses data to examine how Ghana has been this successful. Foundational frameworks in Ghanaian history developed the southern urban parts of Ghana, improving food security in …


Reunification In Informal Foster Care Child Placement: Examining The Different Pathways In Ghana, Hajara Bentum, Esmeranda Manful Jul 2022

Reunification In Informal Foster Care Child Placement: Examining The Different Pathways In Ghana, Hajara Bentum, Esmeranda Manful

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Informal foster care remains the preferred alternative care option for children in many parts of the world. However, the processes of reunification in informal foster care are largely unknown. This qualitative study sought to explore the reunification processes within informal foster care in Ghana to inform child protection services for better program design for such children. Twenty interviews were conducted with reunified fostered children and their biological parents. Data from the in-depth interviews with parents and children were analyzed thematically. Three main processes of reunification were identified in this study namely; open, flexible exit plans and educational threshold arrangements. The …


Overview And Acknowledgments, Marc Roscoe Loustau Jun 2022

Overview And Acknowledgments, Marc Roscoe Loustau

Journal of Global Catholicism

No abstract provided.


A Historical Trace Of Library And Information Science Education In Selected Countries Of Africa- Nigeria, Ghana And South Africa, Peter Olubunmi Olubiyo, Lydia Mercy Olubiyo Jun 2022

A Historical Trace Of Library And Information Science Education In Selected Countries Of Africa- Nigeria, Ghana And South Africa, Peter Olubunmi Olubiyo, Lydia Mercy Olubiyo

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

LIS education is more concerned with training in librarianship. LIS education aimed at producing competent librarians to manage all types of libraries in the countries of the world for sustainability. Other information related disciplines such as documentation, archives and records management were relatively unknown when they started existing, thus, they were not accorded prominence. However, librarianship in Africa owes its origin to colonialism. Colonialism introduced reading and writing among the indigenous people. Until then, the two activities were alien. Colonial governments introduced Western education which entailed among others, reading and writing. In an attempt to boost the two activities, a …


The Trends And Patterns Of Crime In Ghana: The Case Of Robbery, Joseph Appiahene-Gyamfi Jun 2022

The Trends And Patterns Of Crime In Ghana: The Case Of Robbery, Joseph Appiahene-Gyamfi

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

The study utilized the official police data that included the robbery incident addresses/spots to explore the incidence, volume, trends, and patterns of robbery in Ghana from 2014 to 2017. There were 5696 robbery cases of which the highest, 1772 cases, were recorded in 2017, and the lowest cases, 1116 recorded in 2014 reported to the police during this period. The daily average robberies were 3 cases in 2014, 4 cases each in 2015 and 2016, and 5 cases in 2017. The robbery per 100,000 of population in 2014 was 4.1 persons. In 2015, the rate was 5 persons, in 2016 …


Preventing The Resource Curse In Ghana: The Role Of Government And International Oil Companies In The Exploration And Management Of Ghana’S Non-Renewable Resources For Inclusive Development (Oil/Gas), Maud Esi Amoafo May 2022

Preventing The Resource Curse In Ghana: The Role Of Government And International Oil Companies In The Exploration And Management Of Ghana’S Non-Renewable Resources For Inclusive Development (Oil/Gas), Maud Esi Amoafo

Major Papers

This study investigated the role of government and IOCs in the exploration and management of Ghana’s non-renewable resources (oil/gas) for inclusive development and the prevention of the resource curse. Incorporating the rentier state theory and resource curse theory into the study, this paper found that following the commencement of oil production in 2010, the Government of Ghana has enacted major institutional and legislative frameworks, including the PRMA and the GLCL, to combat the impending challenges of the oil industry. Through the PRMA 815, the Petroleum Holding Fund and PIAC have been established for a more transparent and accountable disbursement of …


Fragmented Landscapes: An Archaeology Of Transformations In The Pra River Basin, Southern Ghana, Sean Hamilton Reid May 2022

Fragmented Landscapes: An Archaeology Of Transformations In The Pra River Basin, Southern Ghana, Sean Hamilton Reid

Dissertations - ALL

This doctoral archaeological research examines the Pra River Basin in southern Ghana through lenses of landscape, temporality, and transformation. Drawing on the Annales school and the writings of Tim Ingold, this study moves away from binary constructions of natural and cultural landscape features toward a more integrated view of the landscape's long human history. The primary temporal focus of this research is the past three millennia but evidence recovered of even more ancient eras is also examined. The artifacts and features documented while surveying this landscape allow us to glimpse pre-Atlantic (pre-1450 CE) settlement patterns, subsistence, and technology, as well …


“I Think It's Male Privilege”: A Qualitative Study Of Personal, Behavioral, And Socio-Environmental Factors Influencing High Risk Sexual Behavior And Hiv Transmission Among Heterosexual Adult Males In Ghana., Nana Ama Aya Erzuah Bullock May 2022

“I Think It's Male Privilege”: A Qualitative Study Of Personal, Behavioral, And Socio-Environmental Factors Influencing High Risk Sexual Behavior And Hiv Transmission Among Heterosexual Adult Males In Ghana., Nana Ama Aya Erzuah Bullock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are roughly 340,000 adults and children living with HIV. Despite the progress in the global response and the lowing of infections, HIV rates in Ghana remain stable. Cultural and societal norms that exist at a given time and place influence masculine socialization and behavior. These norms promote heterosexual men’s engagement in high-risk sexual behaviors which result in HIV infections. Factors such as HIV knowledge, risk perception, male condom use, HIV testing, and counseling which minimize the risk of HIV, are also influenced by these norms. Men have been identified as assets and advocates for behavior change and social responsibility …


An Overview Of Approaches To Nuclear Security In Ghana, Raymond Agalga, Paul Atta Amoah, Daniel Nii Adjei, Daniel Frederick Charles, Emmanuel Ofori Darko Apr 2022

An Overview Of Approaches To Nuclear Security In Ghana, Raymond Agalga, Paul Atta Amoah, Daniel Nii Adjei, Daniel Frederick Charles, Emmanuel Ofori Darko

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Ghana has significantly improved its nuclear security infrastructure over the years. However, as threats increase by the day and new applications of nuclear and radiological technology are designed and implemented, Ghana must develop a rigid and comprehensive approach to mitigating the negative impacts on its nuclear security while improving prevention, detection, and deterrence of nuclear and radiological terrorism within its geographical space. This paper overviews the approaches adopted by Ghana to build a strong nuclear security regime within the past decade. These include improving legal frameworks for nuclear security by establishing an independent Nuclear Regulatory Authority; assessing nuclear security culture …


Can Joy Be Racialized? Analyzing How Ghanaians Conceptualize Joy, Zakiyyah (Zaza) Jones Apr 2022

Can Joy Be Racialized? Analyzing How Ghanaians Conceptualize Joy, Zakiyyah (Zaza) Jones

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The racialization of joy is one’s own experience of joy being tied to their racial, and ethnic identity. Inspired by the concept of Black joy, which is an example of the racialization of joy, this paper aims to understand how Ghanaian university students conceptualize joy and whether they would consider their experience of joy to be influenced by their racial/ethnic identity. 18 semi-structured interviews were conducted at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS). In addition, photography was used as a methodology to capture images of Black people experiencing joy …


Exploring Ghanaian Adolescent Sexual And Reproductive Health (Srh) Information Source(S): A Qualitative Approach, Daniel Edem Adzovie, Rita Holm Adzovie Mar 2022

Exploring Ghanaian Adolescent Sexual And Reproductive Health (Srh) Information Source(S): A Qualitative Approach, Daniel Edem Adzovie, Rita Holm Adzovie

The Qualitative Report

Adolescents require information on several issues including sexual and reproductive health (SRH), which most of them receive from numerous sources. The study explored the kinds of SRH information sources adolescents in Ghana are exposed to and the source(s) which serve as their trusted one(s) vis-à-vis reasons given for trusting their sources. Using the Qualitative method of inquiry, the authors employed purposive and snowball sampling techniques to sample and interview twenty-one (n=21) adolescents (female and male) of the university of Cape Coast, Ghana. Results revealed that parents, especially mothers, are the most trusted sources of SRH information to adolescents in Ghana. …


Ghana Rotation Connects Pharmacy Student With Homeland, Mark D. Weinstein Mar 2022

Ghana Rotation Connects Pharmacy Student With Homeland, Mark D. Weinstein

News Releases

Growing up, Cedarville University student Karley Amelemah witnessed how pharmacists in her home nation of Ghana improved her grandmother’s quality of life. Their example spurred her to become a pharmacist too, a decision that led her from west Africa to southwest Ohio and back.


User Awareness And Usability Of Research Support Platforms Amongst Undergraduates At Kumasi Technical University (Kstu) In Ghana, Michael Oppong Mr., Stephanie Owusu Ansah Ms., Akwasi Duffour Frimpong Mr. Mar 2022

User Awareness And Usability Of Research Support Platforms Amongst Undergraduates At Kumasi Technical University (Kstu) In Ghana, Michael Oppong Mr., Stephanie Owusu Ansah Ms., Akwasi Duffour Frimpong Mr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

The study examined the awareness and usability of online library research support platforms among undergraduate students at Kumasi Technical University in Ghana. 126 respondents were sampled and respectively drawn from all the seven faculties that consist of the student population. A descriptive survey method was employed to obtain data from the various faculties using a questionnaire. Analysis of data gathered was carried out using Statistical Product and Service Solution (SPSS), version 20 and excel 2016 for descriptive statistics using percentages. The results revealed that the majority of the students were not aware of the online library research support platforms …


High Resolution, Annual Maps Of Field Boundaries For Smallholder-Dominated Croplands At National Scales, Lyndon D. Estes, Su Ye, Lei Song, Boka Luo, J. Ronald Eastman, Zhenhua Meng, Qi Zhang, Dennis Mcritchie, Stephanie R. Debats, Justus Muhando, Angeline H. Amukoa, Brian W. Kaloo, Jackson Makuru, Ben K. Mbatia, Isaac M. Muasa, Julius Mucha, Adelide M. Mugami, Judith M. Mugami, Francis W. Muinde, Fredrick M. Mwawaza, Jeff Ochieng, Charles J. Oduol, Purent Oduor, Thuo Wanjiku, Joseph G. Wanyoike, Ryan B. Avery, Kelly K. Caylor Feb 2022

High Resolution, Annual Maps Of Field Boundaries For Smallholder-Dominated Croplands At National Scales, Lyndon D. Estes, Su Ye, Lei Song, Boka Luo, J. Ronald Eastman, Zhenhua Meng, Qi Zhang, Dennis Mcritchie, Stephanie R. Debats, Justus Muhando, Angeline H. Amukoa, Brian W. Kaloo, Jackson Makuru, Ben K. Mbatia, Isaac M. Muasa, Julius Mucha, Adelide M. Mugami, Judith M. Mugami, Francis W. Muinde, Fredrick M. Mwawaza, Jeff Ochieng, Charles J. Oduol, Purent Oduor, Thuo Wanjiku, Joseph G. Wanyoike, Ryan B. Avery, Kelly K. Caylor

Geography

Mapping the characteristics of Africa’s smallholder-dominated croplands, including the sizes and numbers of fields, can provide critical insights into food security and a range of other socioeconomic and environmental concerns. However, accurately mapping these systems is difficult because there is 1) a spatial and temporal mismatch between satellite sensors and smallholder fields, and 2) a lack of high-quality labels needed to train and assess machine learning classifiers. We developed an approach designed to address these two problems, and used it to map Ghana’s croplands. To overcome the spatio-temporal mismatch, we converted daily, high resolution imagery into two cloud-free composites (the …