A total of 414 farmers from five communities in the North East Region have received training on parkland sustainability and fallow vegetation management.
This initiative, organized by Eco Restore Ltd in partnership with Bunge LodersCroklaan, aimed to enhance farmers' knowledge of strategies that promote sustainable parkland farming and contribute to the restoration of degraded landscapes and indigenous trees.
The training was a part of the Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reductions Project (GSLERP), funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and implemented by the Forestry Commission (FC), with technical support from the Global Shea Alliance, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as the GCF Accredited Entity.
As a key component of GSLERP, shea seedlings are cultivated and distributed to farmers to improve their livelihoods and ensure the sustainability of shea trees.
During the training, participants learned the importance of nurturing shea seedlings and engaged with experts who provided recommended practices for enhancing shea and other cash crop yields.
Dr. Zakaria Issahaku, Co-Founder and Director of Eco Restore, emphasized the significance of enhancing the knowledge and skills of beneficiary farmers for sustainability. He stressed the need for farmers to be well-prepared to address challenges such as bushfires, livestock threats, and other potential risks to shea trees.
Dr. Issahaku stated, “This training is an opportunity to reiterate some of the tree survival strategies so farmers can protect planted trees within the season.”
He highlighted that this training aimed to equip farmers who had already planted shea trees, which were nurtured and grafted by Eco Restore, to ensure bumper harvests. Additionally, he mentioned that shea pickers are linked to the market through the project, allowing them to share in the direct benefits of increased shea production.
Some farmers shared their experiences from previous training sessions, which had influenced their decisions to adopt new approaches on their farms. Mr. Iddrisu Sabam mentioned that he planted cowpeas and vegetables alongside shea trees, emphasizing the importance of preserving shea trees.
Abubakari Wasila, another farmer, stated that she had stopped cutting economic trees for charcoal production due to her participation in nurturing shea seedlings and increased awareness.