Traditional ecological knowledge of Faidherbia albida and its role as a nature-based solution in climate-smart agroforestry systems in northern Ghana

Abstract

Faidherbia albida , commonly known as the Apple Ring Acacia, is a nitrogen-fixing tree valued for its ecological, livelihood, and cultural functions in African dryland agroforestry systems. Despite its importance, limited research has examined how smallholder farmers perceive, value, and manage this species within local socio-ecological contexts. Rather than presenting Faidherbia albida as a stand-alone solution to land degradation, this qualitative interpretive case study examines how Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) informs the local operationalization of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) and Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) in northern Ghana. A qualitative interpretive design involving semi-structured interviews with 30 purposively selected smallholder farmers across three districts was employed. Interview data were analyzed thematically to identify interconnected ecological, livelihood, cultural, and management dimensions of farmers’ knowledge. The findings indicate that farmers perceive Faidherbia albida as a multifunctional agroforestry species that improves soil fertility, enhances crop productivity, and provides critical livestock fodder during the dry season. The tree’s reverse phenology allows crops to grow beneath its canopy with minimal competition while enriching soils through decomposing leaf litter. Farmers also emphasized its cultural and spiritual significance, with customary beliefs reinforcing conservation and sustainable management. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that farmers perceive Faidherbia albida as a bioculturally significant facilitating species supporting agroforestry, climate adaptation, landscape restoration, and resilient rural livelihoods through locally grounded nature-based solutions rather than as an isolated environmental solution.