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Paper short abstract:

"I will rather live today and die tomorrow!”- why reviewing our understanding of "indigenous" could help improve the state of natural resources.

Paper long abstract:

The importance of local knowledge in natural resource conservation has been recognized by most scholars. Since then, many programs have been carried out, highlighting this knowledge and giving local people the right to manage their natural resources. Ghana was the first in its region to adopt this model and set up the CREMA (community-based natural resources management areas).

But contrary to predictions, based on past successes before colonialism, there has been no improvement in the state of Natural resources. On the contrary, the situation has worsened.

This study is a single case study of a Community Resource Management Area, Cape-Three-Points-Princess in southwest Ghana. The data were collected using mixed-methods approaches and processed through correlation analysis. The findings showed that local knowledge is still valid, however, needs to be adapted to the new realities of the local people. A new definition of "indigenous" must be made, different from atemporal, and globally disconnected.

Keywords: CREMA, indigenous, Community-based natural resources management, Pro-environmental behavior; participation, Natural resources conservation, Ghana, Africa