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Forty women engaged in seed nurseries have recently completed a comprehensive week-long training program on the grafting of shea seedlings, facilitated by Eco Restore officials. The training, conducted in Walewale, aimed to equip participants with the skills needed to shorten the gestation period of planted shea trees.
Organized by Eco Restore in collaboration with Bunge Loders Croklaan and a women’s cooperative, the initiative falls under the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and is part of the Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reductions Project (GSLERP). GSLERP, overseen by the Forestry Commission of Ghana (FC), the Global Shea Alliance (GSA), and USAID, with funding from the Shea Sustainability Initiative (SSI), strives to enhance forest carbon stocks in Ghana’s Northern Savannah Zone while addressing deforestation and forest degradation challenges.
During the training, participants engaged in modules covering grafting processes, root stock selection, and the identification and harvest of quality scions. They were also trained in transporting, grafting, and caring for seedlings post-grafting.
Adam Osman Wumbei, Operations Manager at Eco Restore, emphasized the importance of such training in expanding awareness and reducing the gestation period of on-farm planted shea trees. He indicated plans to replicate such initiatives in other communities where Eco Restore operates, with consideration given to alternative methods of shea propagation in future training sessions.
Salifu Aminatu, Lead of the Tibora Cooperative and a nursery worker, highlighted the impact of the training on farmers’ ability to accelerate shea fruit production. He emphasized the increasing demand for shea products, underscoring the necessity to optimize fruit production for the market.
The initiative not only aims to enhance shea cultivation techniques but also seeks to empower women and promote sustainable practices within the shea value chain, aligning with broader objectives of environmental conservation and community development.
