Tree growers in Ghana’s transitional landscape call on the government and key stakeholders to fast-track the tree tenure and benefit-sharing framework processes. This framework would ensure that they gain ownership rights over the trees they plant and secure fair benefit-sharing agreements for naturally occurring trees.
These concerns were raised during a Forest Protection Agreement sensitisation meeting organised by EcoCare Ghana for LEAN Project beneficiary communities. While the farmers expressed optimism about the potential benefits of new carbon offsetting programs being introduced in the landscape, they voiced skepticism regarding their access to the share of the benefits due to the pending status of the Tree Tenure Bill, which has not yet been passed.
Rev. Obour Wiredu, Deputy Regional Director of the Forest Services Division in the Bono East Region, took the opportunity to educate the community members on the causes and impacts of climate change. He emphasized the critical importance of conserving existing forests and engaging in reforestation efforts. According to him, the transition landscape once had abundant forest cover, but due to factors like population growth, agricultural expansion, illegal logging, and unsustainable land use practices, the region is gradually transforming into a savannah. This shift has led to biodiversity loss, soil degradation, and a decline in essential ecosystem services provided by forests.
Rev. Wiredu further explained that the government, in partnership with the World Bank and the Agricultural Development Bank, supports tree growers with loans aimed at expanding their farms while preserving trees as carbon sinks rather than cutting them for timber or other uses. He urged the farmers to register their farmlands with the Lands Commission and their planted trees with the Forestry Commission to qualify for these loans. He also highlighted the profitability of carbon trading and encouraged the formation of associations among farmers to help them qualify for larger support and projects.
The sensitization meeting also introduced farmers to the Tullow Oil and Ghana Forestry Commission REDD+ programme, which seeks to deliver certified carbon offsetting of up to 1 million tonnes per annum over a decade in the Bono and Bono East regions. Mr. Enock Okyere, LEAN Project Officer at EcoCare Ghana, explained that this program will not only benefit the environment but also bring much-needed development projects to local communities. He also mentioned that the Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance (LEAF) Coalition has signed a $50 million Emission Reduction Agreement with the Government of Ghana, to be implemented in Ghana of which the Bono and Bono East Region is a beneficiary. Mr. Okyere advised the farmers to seize these emerging opportunities by planting more trees, conserving forests, and restoring degraded lands to enhance their livelihoods while sustaining the environment.
Nana Amoh Abroa the Adontenhene of Agosa, spoke during the meeting and shared the excitement among traditional leaders about the potential of the carbon trading projects in their region. However, he expressed concerns about the delay in passing the Tree Tenure Bill, which he believes dampens farmers’ interest in nurturing trees due to uncertainty about their potential benefits. Nana Amoh also affirmed the support of traditional authorities for the government’s efforts to conserve and protect forests, recognizing the potential economic benefits. He urged community members to make use of the seedlings provided by EcoCare Ghana through the Landscape and Environmental Agility across the Nation (LEAN) Project and incorporate indigenous trees into their farms.
The Forest Protection Agreement sensitization, conducted by EcoCare Ghana and Tropenbos Ghana across six districts in the transitional landscape, aims to engage communities in signing agreements to protect both existing forests and newly planted trees as part of efforts to restore degraded lands and combat climate change under the European Union Funded LEAN Project.
