By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Bolgatanga, July 4, GNA – The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has launched Phase II of Ghana version of its flagship land restoration sustainable livelihood intervention project, LOGMe II, in Bolgatanga.
Dubbed “Sahelian Landscapes, a Land of Opportunities-Widen Proven Furrows (LOGMe II),” the project is building on the successes of Phase one of LOGMe implemented between 2020 and 2024 in Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
LOGMe II, which will be implemented in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, and Senegal, seeks to position land as a catalyst for climate resilience, economic opportunity, and community empowerment, particularly in areas severely affected by environmental degradation.
It is part of a broader regional intervention to combat land degradation and promote sustainable livelihoods across the five Sahelian countries harshly hit by the impact of climate change.
The three-year project is being funded by the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security through the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Global Mechanism.
In Ghana the project, which will benefit 16 communities in four districts including Talensi, Bawku West, Builsa South in the Upper East Region, and the Sissala East Municipality in the Upper West Region.
It will be implemented in partnership with A Rocha Ghana, Savannah Agriculture Research Institute of the Council for Scientific, and Industrial Research (CSIR-SARI) and other local partners such as Environmental Protection Authority and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
The launch, which formed part of the inception meeting of the project brought together stakeholders from government institutions, traditional authorities, civil society, research bodies, and community groups to deliberate on the new phase of the initiative and the operational areas.
Ms Dorcas Owusuaa Agyei, the National Coordinator of the IUCN Ghana Project Office, said the project marked a renewed commitment to harness landscapes as engines of resilience and prosperity.
“At the heart of IUCN’s mission is a belief that nature-based solutions can be transformative,” she noted. “Degraded lands are not just ecological crises, they are development, livelihood, and security challenges, especially in vulnerable communities.”
In Ghana, LOGMe I, which focused in eight communities in the same districts restored over 3,700 hectares of degraded lands and promoted green value chains such as honey, shea, and soy-based products, while improving food security and access to renewable energy.
The new project will focus on restoring degraded lands through inclusive, community-driven approaches, scale up green value chains to connect smallholder farmers, especially women and youth to markets, and strengthen local governance structures to align with national and international restoration targets.
The project aligns with the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Strategic Framework, Ghana’s Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets, and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 15.3, which calls for a land-degradation-neutral world by 2030.
“Let us remember land restoration is more than planting trees, it is about restoring dignity, opportunity, and resilience. Let LOGMe II not just restore hectares of land, but transform lives, empower communities, and position Ghana as a regional leader in sustainable land management” she said.
Ms Felicite Chabigonni, Regional Coordinator for LOGMe II, expressed gratitude to the UNCCD Global Mechanism and the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security for their continued support, and called for collective efforts in the implementation.
Mr Isaac Kofi Notri, Project Officer, A Rocha Ghana, said the project will be working closely with the local communities to empower them to benefit from sustainably from the land use.
Mr John Millim Nabwomya, the Talensi District Chief Executive, noted that the project has been scaled up to benefit two more countries and communities due to the success of Phase one and stressed the need for partnerships to achieve greater results, adding that the Assembly will integrate some of the interventions in its Medium-Term Development Plans for scale up.
Dr Iddrisu Yahaya, Principal Investigator, CSIR-SARI, called on the beneficiary communities to cooperate to help build on the gains made in the first phase of the LOGMe project.
GNA
Edited by Caesar /Kenneth Odeng Adade