EPA, LUSPA tour 11 districts under Ghana’s 20-year Spatial Development Framework
September 9, 2024GLRSSMP Revives 25,000 Hectares of Agricultural Farmland, Impacts 58,000 Farmers
The Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (GLRSSMP) which seeks to restore deteriorated forests and farmlands in the targeted degraded savannah and cocoa landscape has restored 25,181 hectares of agricultural land since its inception in 2022.
The project has also impacted the lives of nearly 58,000 farmers in 26 districts throughout eight regions, providing them with agricultural inputs as well as training on various farming techniques.
The project, funded by a World Bank loan and grants from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Progreen, addresses two important areas. The first focus is land restoration, spearheaded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an agency under the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation. The second priority is small-scale mining, which falls under the purview of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
Under the project, old cocoa trees are being replaced with new ones, accompanied by massive afforestation exercises in forest reserves.
The project's agricultural focal person, Kingsley Kwako Amoako, revealed the figures during a tour led by the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ophelia Mensah Hayford to inspect ongoing projects including farms in the Asante Akim South District in the Ashanti Region.
The development, he said, marks a significant stride in the country's commitment to sustainable farming and environmental conservation.
"The scale of land restoration achieved in such a short time frame demonstrates our commitment to rebuilding Ghana's agricultural capacity. This isn't just about reclaiming land, it’s about creating sustainable livelihoods for our farming communities,” Mr Amoako added.
Kingsley Kwako Amoako, agricultural focal person, addressing the team on the tour
Sustainability
The minister said government aims to restore lands which have been degraded, hence the introduction of the project.
She emphasised that government is aware of the devastating impact of climate change on farmers hence the introduction of the project.
“We know that the world is battling climate change, following human activities that have affected rainfall patterns and the weather. As such, we must undertake measures to reverse this development for a good climate and thereby predicting right and doing right,” she said.
She highlighted the GLRSSMP as one initiative that aids farmers in replacing old cocoa farms, known as Moribund Farms, with new, fast growing and high-yielding kinds.
"We're not just cutting down old cocoa trees, we're equipping farmers with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to create sustainable, productive farms for the future,” she said.
