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Sustainable forest management in 1992 was recognized by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development as the most important contribution the forestry sector can inject into any sustainable development initiative. The author’s extensive literature review established this as the premise on which Ghana‘s quest for sustainable economic growth and development strategies is being implemented. Since embarking on this endeavour, conscious efforts have been made to define essential components of forest resources against which sustainability assessments could be performed in Ghana. The conceptual framework of the present research rests on FAO’s concept on criteria and indicators as useful tools in monitoring progress towards sustainable forest management and resource-use. In addition, an empirical approach seeks to elicit answers from staffs involved in the management of natural resources as well as from other stakeholder groups in order to address four pertinent questions as; i. the specifics of forest management practices and policies that exist in Ghana‘s high forest zone, ii. interactive forces that come into play with the identification and development of national level criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management, iii. who constitute the stakeholders and lastly, iv. the extent to which progress towards sustainable forest management has been achieved and in which direction it is moving. First a quantum of forest management policy documents were reviewed out of which applicable criteria and measurable indicators, specific to the high forest zone of Ghana, were identified. Together with stakeholder's involvement, performance scores were established for indicators identified within the trio-sectors (forest ecosystem, forest communities and the economy) for sustainability assessments. Based on actual performance scores, measures of successes towards sustainable forest management operations were quantitatively performed with estimated maximum and minimum thresholds levels at which resource-use would be sustainable using the measure of forest resource-use sustainable scale-MoFRUSS. Outcomes of these measurement operations, as depicted on the scale, revealed the actual extent to which stakeholder’s initiatives, towards sustainable forest management have progressed and in which direction they are moving. The study also offers optional policy baskets for resource management interventions from which the Socio-eco-Economy bundle is the most recommendable if the environmental aspect of Ghana‘s Vision 2015 (sustainable development) is to be achieved; with improved societal well-being, improved environmental health and vitality and improved economic growth and development. The study concludes with recommendations to both policy makers and the other vested stakeholders a viable opportunity which could be harnessed to improve on management‘s performance through avoided deforestation.
Being one of Ukraine’s major sources of economic revenue, the country’s agro-industrial sector proved, at the same time, to be perhaps the most vulnerable branch of economy in the times of political and social turbulence. While the state is searching for the ways of strengthening its positions at the global market, its agricultural potential to a considerable extent remains both under- and misused. Based on comprehensive historic analysis, this research establishes the origins of the current situation and assesses the possibilities of positive change. Utilizing the experience of other European countries’ with regards to making agriculture more sustainable and competitive in the modern world, the author describes the ways of applying these practices against the background of Ukrainian socio-political system. Drawing knowledge from the experience of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) worldwide, this research aims at harmonizing their methods with evaluation demands in Ukrainian agriculture. It discusses and criticizes the existing assessment approach and suggests measures necessary for making it more comprehensive. The author offers profound analysis of Ukrainian agricultural policies to date, reviews national regulating directives and outlines country-specific challenges as to improving agricultural sustainability. In order to provide Ukrainian decision-makers with a clear and all-round tool for assessing the advances and failures of the acting state policies in the AIS, a set of reliable indices for evaluating agricultural performance has been developed by the author, which is largely based on the widely-acknowledged Driving Force – State – Response framework offered by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Human Development Index (HDI) from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) methodology. At the same time, the newly developed set takes into consideration the peculiarities of Ukrainian socio-political setting. Three major categories of indicators were chosen as a backbone for further elaboration, namely economic, social and political. Therefrom results a list of twelve relevant indices. At the concluding stage of the research, they were processed and transformed to three top-level indices: Economic Development Index, Environmental Situation Index and Social Development Index. These three indices are intended for clear and illustrative presentation of the current situation for high level decision-makers and governmental bodies. Methodology utilized for the purposes of this research with necessary adaptation and fine tuning can also be used with other set of initial data, indicators and indices. Application field can also be downscaled from the highest (national) to the lowest (regional) level by adapting the indicator-indices system to the initial input data. This will considerably simplify the compilation and presentation of regional reports and will provide transparency for interregional comparison within the country.