Restoring ecosystems and increasing farmers' economic resilience through agroforestry.
Named the country with the most alarming deforestation rate in 2018, Ghana lost nearly 2 million hectares of forest, equivalent to 25% of its total tree cover, between 1990 and 2005. Farmers’ low incomes and strong disincentives for maintaining trees on their parcels drive agricultural expansion into forests.
In the central region of Ghana, farmers bordering the edge of Kakum National Park implement agroforestry initiatives to restore and protect forests and address income diversification. These interventions aim at improving community livelihoods and enhancing biodiversity.
The Northwestern region is strongly affected by ongoing forest degradation due to unsustainable cocoa production and illegal mining. PUR works to restore ecosystems and increase farmers’ economic resilience, building upon and aligning with the pre-competitive Cocoa and Forests Initiative, focusing significantly on restoring the cocoa-producing landscape while addressing deforestation’s drivers through education and improved livelihoods.
Trees regulate microclimatic conditions, protect crops from extreme weather events, enrich the soil with macronutrients, support biodiversity and provide additional revenue.
Each year, planting waves are launched with small-holder farmers in and around cocoa parcels, where indigenous tree species are planted.
Producers receive technical support and collective training to introduce agroforestry. Planting models and tree species chosen are adapted to the environment and their needs while learning how to care for and maintain the trees long-term.
This project promotes youth and female empowerment and entrepreneurial spirit with the support of Empow’Her — a program that supports and strengthens the freedom and capacity of women, creating a more inclusive world together. Each year, women in the community voluntarily register to receive business and technical training. Individual and group projects are selected and coached.
In addition, revenue-generating initiatives are established — beekeepers are trained, and beehives are distributed. New activities are considered regularly based on feasibility studies and feedback from the community.
Collective training with producers includes general information about climate change, deforestation, and the benefit of trees in creating a culture of ecosystem regeneration.
Awareness-raising campaigns are designed, such as educational programs and community theatre performances. To increase the impact of the project, communities and project funders decide on the strategy.
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