Environment and Agroforestry Foundation Enhances Participants’ Skills in Livelihood Improvement Project

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The Environment and Agroforestry Foundation (EAF), a nonprofit environmental organization in Sunyani, recently conducted a capacity-building workshop for participants involved in its project focused on restoring farmland, riparian ecosystems, and improving livelihoods in the Bono Region. The workshop, held in Berekum within the Berekum East Municipality, also marked the launch of a six-year project funded by TerraFund for AFR100, an international funding consortium established in 2021, consisting of organizations like the World Resources Institute, One Tree Planted, Realize Impact, and Barka Fund.

Approximately 100 participants, including 70 farmers from four beneficiary communities – Namasua, Oforikrom, Tainso, and Berekum – attended the event. Also present were representatives from the Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission (FC), the Berekum East Municipal Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), and the Municipal Assembly. Traditional authorities from the beneficiary communities, Fulani herdsmen leadership, media representatives, and Green Waterhut, an environmental NGO based in Sunyani, were also present as stakeholders.

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Mrs. Emma Baah Agyapong, the Founder/Director of EAF, explained that the project aligns with the government’s commitment to restoring two million hectares of degraded farmlands and supports Africa’s broader goal of restoring 100 million hectares of degraded farmlands by 2030. The project aims to restore degraded farmlands and adjoining riparian forests near the Tain II Forest Reserve while enhancing the livelihoods of community members for sustainable forest management.

Using a Participatory Rural Approach, locals will be trained to actively participate in project implementation and monitoring. Mr. Francis Brobbey, the Sunyani District Manager of the Forest Services Division, pledged the Division’s support for the project, emphasizing its alignment with the Green Ghana Project’s objectives.

Mr. Hassan Sali, the Berekum East Director of MoFA, expressed the Ministry’s eagerness to collaborate and support farmers in achieving climate-smart agriculture and agroforestry targets. Assistant Divisional Officer I Issahaku from the GNFS assured prompt response and support in combating fire incidents around the project sites.

Mr. Kofi Adjei, the Berekum East Municipal Chief Executive, commended EAF and TerraFund for AFR100 for selecting the municipality for the project and appreciated the traditional authorities for their support in land allocation for implementation.