By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Bolgatanga, Oct 28, GNA – A book entitled “Common Trees and Shrubs of Northern Ghana” documenting indigenous local tree species and shrubs, and their usefulness has been unveiled in Bolgatanga by World Vision Ghana, a Christian humanitarian organisation.
The 232-page work contains characteristics, profiles and usefulness of common local tree species and shrubs which are relevant for the restoration of livelihoods and socioeconomic efforts in five local languages.
The trees and shrubs are documented in Dagbani, Likpakpal, Gurune, Kassem and Kusaal with the local people’s uses ascribed to the respective tree species maintained to reflect their tone as much as possible.
The book was compiled by Dr Stephen Edem Akpalu and Ms Gloria Kukurije Adeyiga, two Research Scientists with the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Bolgatanga.
It was funded by the European Union through the Regreening Africa Project being implemented by World Vision Ghana and the Catholic Relief Services in Ghana with technical support from the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry.
Mr Joshua Baidoo, Strategy and Integrated Programmes Director, World Vision Ghana, explained that over the past 15 years, World Vision Ghana through its Livelihood Improvement and Family Empowerment Technical programme had been leading the fight against environmental degradation and promoting climate smart agriculture.
The efforts had been due to the high rate of natural resources depletion leading to reduction in annual rainfall volumes and contributing to food insecurity increasing vulnerability of communities especially children.
To this end, World Vision Ghana saw the documentation of relevant tree species as part of pragmatic measures needed to preserve knowledge to build the resilience of communities and contribute to attaining food security.
Mr Baidoo indicated that apart from documenting the tree species that were relevant to the livelihoods of the people, the book laid a foundation of contributing to the indigenous knowledge chain of generations yet to come.
“Knowledge management plays critical role in World Vision programming and our development efforts and as such we see the production of the first volume of this important piece of work as step in the right direction and we wish to call for further improvements of this document as and when new knowledge becomes available,” he said.
Mr Edward Anaba Akunyagra, Regreening Africa Project Manager, World Vision Ghana, explained the book further took into consideration some of the models and interventions particularly the Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration and how the lost local trees species and shrubs could be restored through the models.
Dr Akpalu, said the book contained rich knowledge on the common tree species and shrubs found in Northern Ghana and it was done through series of meetings with relevant stakeholders.
“So, this booklet contains pictorial descriptions, the Scientific names and family names their preferred ecological habitats, soil requirements, flowering and fruiting phenology, their uses and their sustainability,” he added.
Ms Laura Cristina Delvalle, the National Director of World Vision Ghana, commended the scientists and the various stakeholders who contributed to the production of the book and noted that World Vision Ghana would continue to work to add knowledge on the preservation of local trees.
“It is not a just a scientific book, but it is put in our hands the knowledge on how to use these plants and it is wonderful to be in five local languages, so, it is important to continue nurturing and restoring the land and the knowledge on the land of Ghana,” she added.
GNA