Urban Sprawl of Wa, Ghana: Socio-Economic Implications for Small-Holder Farmers

Abstract

The paper presents socio-economic implications of urban sprawl for indigenous small-holder farmers in terms of 1). Types and availability of housing, food and water, 2). Possession of livestock and indigenous fowls, electrical appliances and means of transport, 3). Farmers' involvement in activities that lead to loss of farmland (particularly sand winning) and 4). Farmers' opinion on the merits and demerits of the urban sprawl. The study methods included a combination of reconnaissance survey, focus group discussion, key informant interviews and a questionnaire survey. It is revealed that there is the land resource market boom which provides higher, quicker and easier to earn income to farmers. The study also confirmed urban encroachment on the farmlands of peripheral communities, increases in social vices as well as the emergence of modern houses, access roads, portable water, grid electricity, increases in business activities and overall development of the peripheral communities. Hence, the majority of farmers prefer the sprawl to their previous solitary traditional situation