[01] Emmanuel Honlah, Seventh-day Adventist College of Education, Department of Social Sciences, Agona, Ghana. [02] Divine Odame Appiah, Environmental Management Practice Research Unit, Department of Geography and Rural Development, Faculty of Social Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. [03] Alexander Yao Segbefia, Department of Geography and Rural Development, Faculty of Social Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. [04] Moses Mensah, Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

Water hyacinth invasion has proven to be a source of problem to riverine communities. Studies have shown that the dense mats of water hyacinth obstruct agriculture, transportation and fishing, but also serve as raw materials for the making of fertilizer, biofuel and artefacts. This study assesses the utility of water hyacinth in the Jomoro District of Ghana. Multi-stage sampling procedures were adopted in the study. In the first stage, five communities along the River Tano and Abby-Tano Lagoon were purposively selected, based on their proximity to the water bodies. In the second stage, 305 respondents including fishermen, fish traders, farmers and boat operators were sampled using snowballing non-probability sampling technique. Data was collected using questionnaire administration and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). While descriptive statistics, including the use of cross-tabulations and stacked bar charts were used to analyse quantitative data, direct quotations from respondents were used as qualitative data to support the quantitative data. The principal uses of water hyacinth identified in the study area were its uses in the making of fertiliser and animal feed. However, the utility of water hyacinth was at a very low level among respondents, mainly because of the lack of knowledge about its usefulness. Water hyacinth was therefore not perceived to be a resource in the study area. We suggest that any future interventions should focus on training the people in the study communities to duly utilise the water hyacinth. This will turn the water hyacinth into a valuable resource.

Water Hyacinth, Utility, Resource, Knowledge, Technology, Jomoro District

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