Household willingness and reality in the uptake of micro green infrastructure in sunyani municipality of Ghana

Despite global recognition of the enormous benefits of green infrastructure (GI) in cities/urban areas, urban greenery has declined in developing countries, particularly across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). While top-down delivery of (GI) has not yielded significant results in Ghana, this study explores the potential of a civic ecological approach (bottom-up) focused on ‘micro’ GI elements (e.g., residential trees, gardens, landscaping) on household properties. Using a mixed-methods research design, data were collected from 100 households across 10 neighbourhoods in the rapidly urbanising Sunyani Municipality and complemented by four key informant interviews with institutional heads. The findings revealed staggering household support (92%) for developing GI on their properties, primarily motivated by desires for beautification and ecological benefits such as reduced urban heat island effects. However, a significant value-action gap was identified. Key barriers included inadequate space, poor settlement layouts, financial constraints, and a lack of institutional support/policy. The willingness to implement GI was highly contingent on government intervention and technical support. The results suggest that while a willingness to engage in GI efforts, translating this into action requires a synergistic partnership. Municipal authorities must proactively formalise and incentivise micro-GI interventions, such as free seedlings, a clear GI policy, and spatial planning, to unlock the cumulative potential of civic ecological action for urban environmental sustainability.