A 15-member national advisory committee to provide strategic and policy advice for Regreening Africa Initiative, a UN world restoration flagship, has been inaugurated in Accra.
The committee, which is chaired by an agricultural development and food systems economist, Professor Saa Dittoh, a retired professor of the University for Development Studies (UDS), is also expected to review work plans and progress, and provide overall guidance on the implementation of the regreening Africa project at country level.
Background
Regreening Africa, a UN world restoration initiative, is a process for the restoration of degraded landscapes through sustainable practices that improved its health, productivity and resilience.
The practices include agro forestry, soil health improvement, farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR), soil and water conservation, grazing and pastoral management and access to improved seeds.
It is a continent-wide initiative focused on halting degradation, restoring degraded landscapes, improving food and nutrition security and strengthening community resilience to climate change across the Ghana, Somalia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Mali, Senegal and Niger.
The project, which begun last year and ends in 2028, is being implemented by World Vision and Catholic Relief Services (CRS), among other partners, with funding from the European Union.
In Ghana, the project is being implemented in six districts – Bawku West, Garu, Tempane, Binduri, Yendi and Mion, all in the Upper East and Northern regions.
It is targeting 100,000 hectares of land and 60, 000 households, and would strengthen their resilience, including adaptive capacity, land health diversified production, and livelihoods of communities in northern Ghana in the face of climate change, land degradation and food and nutritional insecurity.
Appreciation
The National Director of World Vision Ghana, Timah Munkuda, expressed appreciation to the EU for the investment.
She said partnership was the way to go and that despite the backgrounds, technical abilities, among other qualities, the team would speak one language to solve the problem.
The Programmes Director for Agriculture and Livelihoods at CRS, Edward Akunyagra, said the implementation of the second phase would place much attention on the issue of alternative livelihoods, and called for the introduction of friendly technologies.
He said the second phase had been scaled up to include more districts.
Achievements
Highlighting some of the achievements under the first phase, Mr Akunyagra said, out of 40, 000 households targeted, the project was able to reach 45,000 households.
He also said that out of 90, 000 hectares targeted, a little over 50 hectares was met.
For his part, a representative of the EU, Clemens Beckers, was hopeful that the project would reverse land degradation in the northern part of the country and also improve livelihoods.
In that regard, he urged the national advisory committee and partners to work together in the spirit of unity and in a frank and constructive manner.
“The EU is proud to support regreening Africa and remains committed to working with government and development partners to achieve the goal,” the representative added.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh