Accra, Sept 20, GNA – The European Union-funded Landscapes and Environmental Agility across the Nation (EU-LEAN) Project, has promoted sustainable environmental practices while building farmers’ resilience to navigate climate effects.
This led to the restoration of hectares of depleted land areas in Ghana’s three most important national landscapes, the Savannah, the High Forest, and Transition zones.
Deforestation as a result of arming, commercial lumbering, uncontrolled bush burning, mining, and unsustainable environmental practices, has inadvertently contributed to the degradation of biodiversity in these landscapes.
This has resulted in soil infertility, poor crop yields, and loss of livelihoods and income of farmers.
These human activities have influenced the manifestation of climate change-the rains became less frequent, the temperatures rose higher, and the once-lush forests withered away.
Farmers and communities have also begun to struggle for survival. “When the land is degraded, livelihoods and income of forest resources dependent population is affected too.
Rural communities mostly farmers become more vulnerable to climate shocks”, said Abena Dufie Woode, Senior EU-LEAN Project Manager at the Rainforest Alliance(RA).
RA is leading the consortium of four organisations, Rainforest Alliance, World Vision Ghana, Tropenbos Ghana, and Eco-Care Ghana in the implementation of the EU-LEAN Project in the three most important landscapes of Ghana.
Using multiple restoration approaches, the project has expanded key environmental management and best practices through training and capacity building and working in partnership with the government decentralized institutions such as the Ghana National Fire Service, Forestry Commission, Department of Food and Agriculture, and District Assembles to enrich climate adaptation knowledge and skills and promoted environmental consciousness among farmers and communities.
The project aimed among other things to contribute to Ghana’s efforts to conserve biodiversity, increase crop yields, improve farmers’ household food and nutrition security and build farmers and their communities’ resilience against climate change.
According to Madam Abena Dufie Woode, the EU-LEAN project which was at the forefront of Ghana’s restoration initiative addressed critical challenges of deforestation, livelihood, and income of farmers.
“The farmers’ livelihoods were deeply intertwined with forest resources, and they need alternatives to sustain themselves. Simply telling them not to cut down trees will not be enough,” she said.
In the midst of this despair, the project has ignited change and transformation, as Richard Asamoah, a beneficiary of the project, would acknowledge. “We are glad we have learnt a lot of things through the EU-LEAN Project, which is changing the environment, improving soil fertility, crop yields and increasing our income. Our livelihoods have been set on a sustainable motion,” the farmer said.
That is not all, women are gaining access to financial services thanks to the formation of EU-LEAN Savings for Transformation group (S4T), the small ruminants keeping support, soap making, smock weaving, snail rearing, piggery, beekeeping and fish farming are all contributing to sustainable livelihoods, income and food security of beneficiary households.
He acknowledged RA’s leadership in this change and transformation being witnessed at the community level and as part of his commitment, Asamoah donated 10-acre land, which has already been restored and serving as model restoration site.
Madam Dufie Woode said, “We are providing them with alternative livelihood and income activities while working closely with them to restore degraded lands.”
“We are empowering farmers and communities to become champions of sustainable forest management,” she added.
During the partner’s verification tour to 13 project communities in the Transition Landscape, stakeholders were impressed with the successes of the project.
The EU-LEAN project introduced a suite of income-generating activities—beekeeping, snail rearing, piggery, fish farming, smock weaving, soap making, and agroforestry, among others—to keep farmers’ livelihoods and incomes active while reclaiming degraded lands.
“As the project took root, a team of dedicated experts began working with farmers in the three landscapes. They identified areas of degraded land and worked with farmers to restore them”, Lead project manager said.
The introduction of sustainable agricultural practices, such as agroforestry and permaculture, which allowed farmers to grow crops while preserving the forest’s natural resources.
The results were nothing short of remarkable. Farmers began to see an increase in their yields, as well as a reduction in their environmental impact. The restored land began to flourish once more, providing a haven for wildlife and a buffer against climate change.
As the project neared its closure, its impact is warmly being felt—not just about preserving the forest, but about empowering people.
“The farmers who had once been reliant on forest resources were now building a brighter future for themselves and their families. Thanks to the leadership of the Rainforest Alliance (RA) in the implementation of this top-notch restoration project, EU-LEAN Project funded by the European Union”.
GNA