Tropenbos Ghana has launched a five-year project to strengthen the livelihood and build the climate resilience of 100,200 people in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region of Ghana.
The event was held at the Mom and Dad Hotel at Buipe in the region.
The Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reductions Project (GSLERP) seeks “to directly strengthen the livelihood of farmers while building climate resilience through restoration, decreased deforestation, and fire management to indirectly contribute to the retention of soil moisture, reduction of evapotranspiration, and maintenance of soil fertility in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region”.
Speaking at the launch, Project Manager, Mr. Daniel Kofi Abu revealed that between 2001 and 2015, the Northern-Savannah zone lost 77% of its forest cover. This, he added calls for collaboration to restore the landscape whiles reviving the Shea Park Lands.
Tropenbos Ghana, under the project, will plant over 20,000 trees in the Central Gonja District, with four nursery sites.
On his part, a Representative of the District Chief Executive, Hon. Seidu Shiraz commended Tropenbos Ghana for selecting the Gonja Central District.
According to him, the Assembly has also started an aggressive regime of tree planting through the distribution of tree seedlings and cash crops to farmers across the district. He said the distribution of some 40,000 cashew seedlings are underway in the district.
The Director of the Department of Agriculture, Mr. Imoro Mohammed urged the farmers to take advantage of the project. He pledged his support and that of his staff to ensure the success of the project.
The project is funded by the Green Climate Fund with UNDP and the Forestry Commission as implementing partners and the Global Shea Alliance as a technical partner.
