Overcoming barriers to micro-scale greening in rapidly urbanizing Sub-Saharan African cities: empirical insights from Ghana

Abstract

Urban greening efforts in private and semi-public realms can complement state-led initiatives, which have traditionally centred on public green spaces (macro-scale). In the Global South, citizens tend to place significant importance on the co-benefits of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) such as food, water and aesthetic value. This study uses the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area, Ghana, to provide insights into leveraging NbS co-benefits to promote micro-scale NbS (e.g., vertical gardens) adoption. We conducted correspondence analysis to identify preferred NbS co-benefits and determine suitable measures for different neighbourhoods. We also explored factors that hinder or enable micro-scale NbS uptake and analysed their correlations to identify the most impactful factors. Key strategies for increasing micro-scale NbS adoption include leveraging existing greening policies, diversifying funding, including engaging the private sector, enhancing stakeholder coordination and capacity-building in landscape design. This tailored approach offers insights for expanding citizen-led NbS in rapidly urbanising regions of the Global South.