The Vice President, H. E. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on Tuesday, April 27 launched a $54.5 million Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reduction Project in the Northern Savannah landscape of Ghana.
The Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reduction Project is aimed at restoring degraded shea parkland and improving the existing stock of economic and multi-purpose trees in the Northern Savannah landscape of Ghana.
The 7-year project, part of the Parkland Restoration Fund set up by the Global Climate Fund, is to be implemented by the Forestry Commission with the support of private sector actors from the Global Shea Alliance and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Speaking at the launch, the Vice President admonished the Forestry Commission to see the project as a strategic investment to stop shea parkland destruction and empower communities and their ecosystems to build climate and economic resilience.
About Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reduction Project
The forest ecosystem of Ghana’s northern savanna zone is characterized by nearly 400 million shea and other trees growing naturally as part of traditional farming.
Climate change, transitioning to more modern agricultural production and a heavy reliance on wood for charcoal production are now placing a severe strain on this ecosystem.
This project will restore degraded savannah forests and strengthen livelihoods in this area through enhanced ecosystem services.
It will do this, among a number of measures, by supporting self-financing community management to restore savannah forests and by using public-private partnerships to restore degraded shea parklands. It will also strengthen REDD+ systems.
Shea landscapes are important sources of carbon storage, and they can improve adaptive capacities by making ecosystems more resilient.
The harvesting of nuts from shea trees which are used in cosmetics is a key source of livelihoods in the region and provides critical economic support to women in particular.
