PRODUCTION PRESSURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL-CHANGE IN THE FOREST-SAVANNA ZONE OF SOUTHERN GHANA

This study confirms the view that changes in the biophysical environme nt are significantly related to production pressure. The scattered con centrations of forest species in Ghana's forest-savanna zone evidently are relics of a dominant natural forest. Deforestation has entailed e nvironmental quality deterioration, including biodiversity loss, and i mpoverishment of the soils. Farmers try to counter environmental chang e by modifying cropping and intensifying production, but without much success because of poverty and tenurial and technological constraints. Associated with population and market pressures for production, the c hange calls for greater attention to sustainable small farmer environm ental management systems.