Many Ghanaian women ‘bushmeat’ traders are losing their livelihoods because of dwindling stocks and rising cost of the commodity, an ongoing study in parts of the country has found.

Bushmeat is meat from wildlife species that are hunted for human consumption.

At team of researchers at the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation Research (CBCR) at the University of Ghana are examining the socio-economic and health vulnerabilities of female bushmeat traders in the context of COVID-19 in Ghana.

Since 2022, the team has been collecting data from bushmeat traders in Accra, Kumasi, Buipe, Mankessim, Takoradi and surrounding areas as part of a regional study into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other disease outbreaks on the livelihoods and welfare of women.

Some preliminary findings of the study were disseminated at the opening of a two-day West African Regional Workshop at the UG on Tuesday, where researchers in the West African Region will share the findings of their respective studies.

The Research, funded by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), estimated that 80 per cent of traders along the bushmeat trading chain were women, with men involved in the hunting.

In a presentation, Professor Charlotte Wrigley-Asante, Head of Department of Geography and Resource Development, UG, said the research team had identified a general decline in bushmeat trade after the COVID-19 outbreak.

She said many hunters had stopped hunting as a result and were engaging in other ventures such as illegal mining.

Prof. Wrigley-Asante said about 87 per cent of the women traders reported that their income levels had reduced whereas 91 per cent of respondents said their profit margins had decreased, making it difficult for them to meet their household budget.

“There is a general decline in bushmeat trade which started with the Ebola pandemic in 2014, but the COVID-19 outbreak has worsened the situation,” she said.

Prof. Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu, the Chairperson of the CBCR, said over-exploitation and habitat destruction as a result of urbanisation were major contributory factors to the dwindling population of wild animals hunted for food.

She recommended the adoption of wild animal rearing farms to reduce the pressure on the population of species in the wild.

Job Eronmhonsele, Deputy Director, Centre for Population and Environmental Development in Nigeria, said a similar project in Delta and Edo States had found that the incomes of women had reduced due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on business activities.

“These are some things we are seeing and also working on how we can empower the women so that we reduce some of the inequalities that exist at the local levels,” he added.

Natacha Lecours, Senior Programme Officer, IDRC, said the outcome of the regional studies would help to design sustainable interventions to address some of the challenges confronting women after the pandemic.

Lynette Kamau, Advocacy and Policy Manager, African Population and Health Research Centre, said the outcome of the deliberations at the workshop would feed into national discussions and policy decisions.