The region occupies about 62% of the Guinea savanna ecological zone (147 900 km −2) of Ghana (Raamsdonk et al. The plantain is a basic food crop in Ghana and this area supports its growth. Like this name suggests, the coastal region generally experiences less rainfall of 800mm annually. (insert a link to This type characterizes the transition between the Rainforest and Guinea Savanna in Ghana. This is because the Guinea Savannah is near the coastal area. (insert a link to 2, pp. The density Total annual rainfall ranges from 780 mm in the dry eastern coastal belt to … Journal of Crop Improvement: Vol. A rain-forest has characteristics like high rainfall throughout the year. duration and decreases northwards. The Savannah Zone Agricultural Productivity Improvement Project (SAZAPIP) aims at transforming agricultural value chains for food and nutrition security, job and wealth creation in the Northern Savannah Zone of Ghana. Actually this is the longest period of … Back to story. savannah ecosystem is the second most important terrestrial habitat in Ghana The Sudan Savannah is one of the distinct Ghana regions that experience relatively high rainfall. The main land systems are food crops and livestock. Ghana after the high forest. The less disturbed area of the Guinea Savannah ecosystem is dominated by relatively short trees with shrub and scrub undergrowth. The Sudan Savannah has all these characteristics and people herd all year round. the north of the Guinea Savanna. In central Ghana, the Main, Eastern, and Central Transitional Zones (MTZ, CTZ, and ETZ) share common elements of a transitional climate with two rainy seasons and transitional forest-savanna vegetation. Guinea Savanna zone of Ghana Latif Iddrisu Nasare1*, Peter K. Kwapong2 and Dzigbodi Adzo Doke3 Abstract Shea (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. shrub and scrub undergrowth. in Ghana. Most maize in developing countries is produced Leave your email to receive our newsletter, Get the news that matters from one of the leading news sites in Ghana, Drop your mail and be the first to get fresh news, Invention of cocoa biofuel might be Ghana's biggest invention. Animals that roam the New Guinea savanna Forty-three mammal species, including 4 small marsupials, live in this ecosystem: the Papuan planigale (Planigale novaeguineae), bronze quoll (a marsupial “cat”, Dasyurus spartacus), chestnut dunnart (a small marsupial, Sminthopsis archeri), and dusky pademelon (a small, kangaroo-like animal, Thylogale brunii). and extent of grass, herbs and scrub undergrowth in most cases depends on the Map: Guinea Savannah . The palm trees are also a defining characteristic in the coast and palm oil is also very dominant in Ghana. The area has a mono-modal rainfall pattern of about 5–6 months from May to October with maximum occurrence in August and September. Main characteristics: 1. precipitation: 1100 - 1200 mm, with one distinctive dry season 2. typical plant species: a) DSD(IZ): Milicia excelsa (name in Ghana: Odum) 3. The Guinea Savannah is the most dominant climate in Ghana. Share this page. The transition zone mainly supports annual food crops and also crops like maize, roots and also plantain. after the high forest. The major season has 100-110. There are six agro-ecological zones in Ghana: Sudan Savannah, Guinea Savannah, Coastal Savannah, Forest/Savannah transitional zone, Deciduous Forest zone and the Rain Forest zone. Farmers also get to do farming because this weather has shifts such that they change over a period of time. These INTRODUCTION Though a fairly extensive literature relating to the Guinea savanna zone in Africa exists, practically nothing has been written about this vegetation type in Ghana, with the exception of a few general accounts (e.g. The Savannah has dispersed trees and there is enough sunlight for undergrowth which is mostly grass and shrubs. The main crops that grow in this area are millet sorghum and also cow-peas. This poses a challenge in accessing fertile soil for tree nurseries in Northern Ghana. During the major season, the length of growing is 150-160 and just like the rain-forest zone, the dominant land use system is forest and plantains. Rice Influence on Grain Yield of Maize in Maize/Rice Mixture in the Northern Guinea Savanna Zone of Ghana. The Guinea and Sudan Savannah make up the northern half of Ghana. Climate change in Ghana will have wide-reaching impacts on the country.Because the sits at the intersection of three hydro-climatic zones, the climate of Ghana is expected to become incredibly variable. Rainfall is uni-modal Every crop is specific of the Agro ecological zone. The Guinea Savannah is the most dominant climate in Ghana. vegetation map of Ghana). The soils and the rains are a good combination for crops to grow such as roots and plantain. And shrubs are part of the vegetation. Actually this is the longest period of growing in the whole of Ghana’s climate. savannah ecosystems in West Africa. That aside, the deciduous forest are have diverse tree species and also soil types. 1CSIR-Soil Research Institute, Academy Post Office, Kwadaso Kumasi 2Department of Soil Science, School of Agriculture, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra *Corresponding author; tadjadeh@ug.edu.gh Ecology is influenced by various characteristics such as weather patterns, climate, rainfall and many more. The Guinea Savannah receives rainfall of 1100mm annually. The agro ecological zones in Ghana have been consistent over the years. Generally the northern part of Ghana is characterized with less rainfall as compared to the southern part. The agro ecological zones are named depending on their rainfall, soils, and the general crops that are found in the region. The Guinea and Sudan Savanna zones are both characterized by a unimodal rainfall regime lasting from April to October, although mean annual rainfall is higher in the Guinea Savanna zone (1000-1200 mm), than in the Sudan Savanna (900-1000 mm) The period between November and March is dry and characterized by the dry semideciduous forest (fire zone subtype). All the agro ecological zones in have specific characteristics that define them. The district falls within the Guinea Savanna vegetation zone of northern Ghana, with a single-peak, erratic rainfall pattern, increasing rapidly from April, peaking in August-September, then sharply decreasing during October, and ranging between ~600 to ~1,000 mm annually on average . Search for more papers by this author. The animals, cows reared in this area are used for dairy and also beef. x. That aside, people are in a better position to determine the soil types and also come up with different ways of ensuring that there is adequate rainfall. the Guinea Savanna agro-ecological zones of Ghana. This region is mainly meant for annual food crops. The staple food for most Ghanaians is plantain and even in the coastal region the roots grow very well too. The southern region is mostly made of the high rain forest and coastal Savannah. Ecological zones in Ghana have are different and they are five of them. Ghana falls within two of the The trees bloom over time and once the weather changes then the trees shed their leaves. and it is the main determining environmental element, with relatively short The vegetation is mainly isolated short trees, Table 2 Insect pollinator dependency of shea kernel yield (kg) in the Guinea savanna zone of Ghana Full size table The percentage pollinator dependence recorded in this study suggests that V. paradoxa is a high pollinator-dependent species based on Klein et al. Conducting P studies is critical to help farmers adopt economic-based of the country. With good agronomic practices, improved maize varieties have the potential to produce 4–6 t/ha of grain. decreased average annual rainfall and recurrent annual bush fires. The northern part is made of the Guinea Savannah and Sudan Savannah. The Cameroon Highlands of eastern Nigeria and Cameroon separate the Guinean forest-savanna mosaic from the Northern Congolian forest-savanna mosaic, which lies to the east. The rain-forest is made up of trees that are home to most wild animals. In Ghana, agriculture contributes to 28% of the annual gross domestic product. It accounts for nearly half of the total land area This is a very good use of land considering the climate. In the Guinea savanna zone of Ghana, farmers prepare the land by using hand hoe or by ploughing with tractors or drought animals. The minor season has 50 major days of planting. The Sudan Savannah ecosystem is located to 101-108. This climate allows a growing season of 180-200 days. The vegetation map of Ghana clearly shows the kind of vegetation that grows in each part of the country. However, cultivation with the hand hoe is more common. Search for more papers by this author. Gaertn.) Evaluation of Suitability of Some Soils in the Forest-Savanna Transition and the Guinea Savanna Zones of Ghana for Maize Production Nketia, K. A 1., Adjadeh, T.A 2*. vegetation map of Ghana). Tree planting has been encouraged in institutions like schools, and people have come together to ensure that such initiatives are followed to the letter. The Dahomey Gapis a region of Togo and Benin where the forest-savan… The Guinea Savannah ecosystem in Ghana starts from the northern limit of the forest zone emerging out of the dry semideciduous forest (fire zone subtype). Adrian G. Marshall* *Department of Zoology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland. Ecology focuses on the different types of climate. Michael Asante, Benjamin Dzorgbenyui Kofi Ahiabor, Williams K. Atakora, " Growth, Nodulation, and Yield Responses of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) as Influenced by Combined Application of Rhizobium Inoculant and Phosphorus in the Guinea Savanna Zone of Ghana ", International Journal of Agronomy, vol. The coastal area is influenced by the wind that comes from the ocean. Odonata from the Guinea Savanna Zone in Ghana. transition and coastal savannah zones make up the southern half of the country. The main food crops grown in this region are sorghum and maize. In the adjacent Open Guinea Savanna (OGS) ecoregion, farmlands are expanding rapidly into the wooded savannas. When the soil is subjected to intensive and repeated tillage, it becomes susceptible to high run-off and soil erosion rates, and soil deterioration. The zone is partitioned into a inner zone (DSD(IZ)) and a fire zone (DSD(FZ)). This is less as compared to the transition zone. The five agro-ecological zones in Ghana are indicated by the Food and Agriculture organizations. This climate allows a growing season of 180-200 days. It is called a transition zone because it shares its climate with the Savannah. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. With about 40% of all animal species, the rain-forests play a great role in sustaining the flora and fauna. mail. The main crops that grow in this region are millet, sorghum and cow-peas. 400 million hectares of Guinea Savannah land ripe for commercial farming; share. live_help. The coastal region in Ghana is part of the capital city Accra and due to the high population in this region, agriculture is emphasized. The ecology of a particular region determines what can grow there. A good planting medium is required for raising tree seedlings in the nursery, however Guinea savanna soils are generally poor in nitrogen and organic matter. (2012). This depends on several factors like weather and human activities which have a direct influence on the weather changes. However, yields are low, rarely exceeding 600 kg ha−1, prompting the need to evaluate responses of grain legumes to P fertilizer applications for two seasons. Pre- are the Guinea Savannah and Sudan Savannah. As stated earlier because weather patterns change and they are influenced by the climate of a particular place. The Coastal Savannah is the last agro ecological region in Ghana. The rain-forests are home to most of the medicinal herbs that both people and animals take to heal. The land is mostly used for annual food crops like maize and it is also very suitable for livestock. The rainfall is mostly seasonal and the people at this region get the advantage of herding livestock. However there has been a change in weather due to global warming as a result of human activities. This means that farmers have adequate time to prepare their land, and plant when there is rainfall. Savanna zones, as a whole, are characterized by trade winds and monsoons, with a predominance of dry tropical air in the winter and humid equatorial air in the summer. This comprises the Guinea Savannah and Sudan Savannah. The trees are mainly hardwood and the area that surrounds the rain-forest is actually more fertile. The It covers 63% of the total area. in Ghana starts from the northern limit of the forest zone emerging out of the The deciduous forest receives rainfall of 1500mm annually. It receives an annual rainfall of 1200mm, which is quite fair as compared to the forest and the Savannah. In the transition zone, the rainfall in Ghana has shifts because of the mixed weather. Department of Botany, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana I. The deciduous region covers land of 3% of the total area. relatively short trees with shrub and scrub undergrowth. This Savannah is manly characterized by convectional rainfall due to the nearness to the water body. The length of growing in this area is 150-160. Assessing the Performance of Sorghum Varieties in the Guinea Savanna Zone of Ghana S. Lamptey1, G. Nyarko 1, A. Falon 2and S. Yeboah 1Faculty of Agriculture, University for Development studies The transition zone covers 28% of land which makes up to 180-200 days of rowing. The duration of the rainy season decreases, from eight or nine months to two or three months, as … The less disturbed area of the Guinea Savannah ecosystem is dominated by The Guinean forest-savanna mosaic covers an area of 673,600 square kilometers (260,100 sq mi), extending from western Senegal to eastern Nigeria, and including portions of Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin. The Guinea Savannah ecosystem level and extent of disturbances. Most farmers plant roots such as arrowroot and plantains. Movements have been established before to discourage deforestation because without trees then there is no rain. 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