By: Abigail Darko
The Minister for Environment Science Technology and Innovation, MESTI, Ophelia Mensah Hayford, has toured some plantations in the Kwahu ridge in the Eastern Region, under the Ghana Landscape Restoration and small-scale mining Project.
The project was established in February 2022 to mitigate the effect of climate change on the environment.
The Ghana Landscape Restoration Project is a collaboration between the Ministry of Environment Science Technology and Innovation, MESTI, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and the Forestry Commission.
Madam Mensah Hayford toured the cashew nut, plantain, and groundnut plantations among others under the project, to inspect progress of work and familiarize herself with activities as well as speak with the farmers to know their challenges.
Accompanied by some officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Forestry Commission and Ministry of Food and Agriculture, MoFA, Madam Mensah Hayford visited plantations in the Kwahu East, Kwahu South, Kwahu West, and Afram Plains North and South districts under the project.
The Assistant Project Coordinator of EPA, Isaac Charles Acquah said the thematic areas of the project aim at restoring degraded lands.
“Whatever we are doing is to ensure that we increase the benefit that goes to the community to make them more resilient so that they can stand the test of time”, he noted.
A representative of the Forest Service Division, FSD, of the Forestry Commission, Nii Kwei Kussachin highlighted five interventions in three forest reserves within the Kwahu Enclave and stated their importance.
He said the “TONJA” system where farmers are allowed to crop in the forest as well as plant trees as one of the interventions.
“The enrichment planting where forests that are not so degraded but with low naturally generation are assisted “is another intervention Nii Kwei Kussachin stated.
The Environment of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ophelia Mensah Hayford who gave an overview of the plantation project said “the land was taken over by Fulanis and reduced rains and when we were able to sack them to replant the trees, we are experiencing rains and farmers are coming back”.
During an engagement with beneficiary communities, representatives from each collaborator shared their contributions to the project and appealed for continuous support from the ministry.
THE GHANA LANDSCAPE RESTORATION and SMALL-SCALE MINING PROJECT.
The Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project was established to help develop healthy ecosystems that can play an essential role in mitigation, adaptation, and resilience to climate change.
The project is funded by the World Bank and International Development Association with 28 million dollars from the Global Environment Facility, the PROGREEN Trust Fund and the Extractives Global Programmatic Support Trust Fund.
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