Species Use Database

Neem
Azadirachta indica

Used for Energy in Ghana

A. Species

Scientific name: Azadirachta indica

Common name(s): Neem

Global IUCN Red List Threat Status: Least Concern


B. Location of use

Geographic location(s):

  • Ghana

Country/Region: Ghana / Coastal savannah region


C. Scale of assessment

Scale of assessment: Sub-national / Sub-region / Sub-State

Name/Details of location: Coastal savannah region / villages of Kokrobite, Tuba and Langma


D. Timescale of use

Start Year: 1995

End Year: 1996


E. Information about the use

How is the wild species sourced?: Wild species sourced from a suitable habitat but not its own natural habitat

Type of use: Extractive

Practice of use: Logging and/or Wood Harvesting

Lethal or non-lethal: Lethal and Non-Lethal

Does this use involve take/extraction of: Only parts or products of the organism

Purpose(s) of end use: Energy

Motivation of use: Basic subsistence and Income generation from trade (individual/household/community)

Is this use legal or illegal?: Some use is legal and some is illegal


F. Information about the Users

Which stakeholder(s) does the record primarily focus on?: Local people


G. Information about the sustainability of use

Is there evidence that the use is having an impact on the target species?: Wild species sourced from a suitable habitat but not its own natural habitat

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an ecological perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered sustainable

Details of assessment carried out: This study's survey.

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: The study discusses that although there was evidence of tree losses, SSWH was clearly managed for at least medium-term sustainability, the main beneficiaries being the wood; however, there was evidence of stunted trees. Importantly, 92 per cent of neem stumps were still sprouting leaves. The combination of selective cutting procedure and the regenerative capacity of the neem tree ensured that the firewood supply remained adequate over recent years. This had positive implications for neem and other tree stand conservation, in terms of both the conservation of fuel stocks and biodiversity.

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an economic perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a social perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered sustainable

Details of assessment carried out: this study

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: This study does not provide any economic data; however, forest-harvested firewood is an essential in Ghana, used for cooking (also as a source of charcoal), even when sold into urban areas. Because of neem's high regenerative capacity, combined with a tendency to coppice trees (esp by women) rather than for lethal extraction (and because neem is an alien introduced species in Ghana), this important use seems sustainable in the medium-term. Indeed it takes pressure off native trees as a source of fuel wood. Without a sustainable supply of fuelwood for stoves, people would not be able to cook food.

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a human health perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered sustainable

Details of assessment carried out: this study

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Without a sustainable supply of fuelwood for stoves, people would not be able to cook food.

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an animal health/welfare perspective been recorded?: not recorded


Recommendations provided in the record to maintain or enhance the sustainability of the use of the target species

The study concludes by recommending the maintenance of the tree-shrub mosaics, through careful coppicing, a role for settlement proximity (structural modification rather than total degradation), an important engagement with socio-cultural dynamics and consequently conservation potential from both energy and biodiversity perspectives. Awareness of these issues is informative for locally sensitive conservation planning.


Record source

Information about the record source: scientific_pub

Date of publication/issue/production: 2005-01-01T00:00:00+0000

Source Reference(s):

Campbell, M. O. N. (2005). The impact of smallā€scale wood harvesting on neem Azadirachta indica A. Juss stands in the coastal savanna of Ghana. Area, 37(1), 8-16.

Date of record entry: 2022-12-31