By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Nangodi (U/E), May 15, GNA – World Vision Ghana (WVG) has launched a regreening and land restoration project in the Nabdam District aimed at restoring 1,500 hectares of degraded land and improving climate resilience among farming communities.
The intervention, dubbed: “Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) Heritage Project,” is being funded by the European Union under the Sustainable Forest and Cocoa Programme through the European Forest Institute.
It will be implemented by World Vision Ghana and the Centre for Community Development Initiatives (CODI), and is expected to benefit more than 10,000 people, particularly women, youth, and vulnerable groups across the district.
Speaking at the launch in Nangodi, Mr Joshua Richard Baidoo, the Strategy and Integrated Programme Director at World Vision Ghana, said the project sought to restore degraded landscapes, strengthen livelihoods, and safeguard the future of children and farming households.
He said communities in northern Ghana continued to face the effects of land degradation, erratic rainfall, declining crop yields, and food insecurity, stressing that the FMNR approach offered a practical and cost-effective solution to reversing environmental destruction.
Mr Baidoo explained that the FMNR approach would empower farmers to nurture naturally occurring tree stumps and roots to restore vegetation without expensive tree plantation systems.
He said the initiative would help revive soil fertility, improve biodiversity, increase crop yields, and provide shade and fodder for livestock, while strengthening community resilience against climate shocks.
“The project is not just about trees. It is about restoring the environment, reviving traditional knowledge, and building resilient communities,” he added.
Mr Jonas Bugre, FMNR Heritage Project Manager, World Vision Ghana, said changing rainfall patterns, prolonged dry spells, and destructive windstorms in the Upper East Region underscored the urgent need for environmental restoration.
He observed that FMNR offered a cheaper and more sustainable alternative to conventional tree planting because it relied on nurturing naturally existing shrubs and tree stumps.
“FMNR has almost a 100 percent survival rate because the shrubs already exist in the environment and only need protection and nurturing,” he said.
Mr Elvis Kudaar, an official from the European Forest Institute, said the initiative formed part of broader efforts under the Sustainable Forest and Cocoa Programme to restore degraded lands and strengthen environmental governance in Ghana.
He said the programme aimed to restore at least 5,000 hectares of land and benefit more than 20,000 farmers nationwide within the next 24 months.
Mr Kudaar commended World Vision Ghana for building on years of experience in FMNR implementation in northern Ghana and stressed the need for strong stakeholder collaboration to ensure long-term success.
He emphasised that environmental restoration could only succeed through integrated and participatory approaches involving traditional authorities, local institutions, communities, and government agencies.
Mr Julius Agolisi, the Project Manager for CODI, described FMNR as a proven, practical, and cost-effective solution that restores degraded lands, improves food security, protects biodiversity, and strengthens livelihoods.
“At a time when climate change, land degradation, and economic challenges continue to threaten rural communities, initiatives like this are not optional; they are essential,” he said.
Mr Agolisi said the FMNR Heritage Project would also help preserve indigenous knowledge, promote sustainable land management practices, and empower communities to become custodians of their natural resources.
Mr Francis Yenwona Tobig, the Nabdam District Chief Executive, described the project as a major step toward restoring livelihoods and ensuring sustainable development in the district.
He pledged the Assembly’s support for the project and urged community members to embrace the initiative to secure fertile lands and sustainable livelihoods for future generations.
Naab Bileehsong La’anwont Namong, Chief of Kotintaabig, commended World Vision Ghana and its partners for the project and pledged the community’s support to help restore degraded lands and livelihoods.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Email: [email protected]