Gov’t must collaborate to avert forest cover decline

Government must collaborate with stakeholders to halt the continuous decline in forest cover, which will affect food and agriculture production former President John Agyekum Kufuor has said.

Mr. Kufuor, who is also the current United Nation Envoy for Climate Change, said: “It is about time government collaborated with stakeholders to alleviate the situation”.

He was speaking at the maiden National REDD+ Forum organised by the Forestry Commission in Accra under the theme ‘Conserving our forests for better lives and a better climate’.

The forum was aimed at soliciting political commitment and public support for actions and measures targetted at addressing drivers of deforestation, as part of the country’s contribution to ongoing global efforts toward abating climate change and its impacts.

He however said the emergence of REDD+ in Ghana presents an opportunity for the country to further complement ongoing efforts toward sustainable management and conservation of its forests.

REDD+ is an acronym for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, while the plus sign (+) represents activities that offer co-benefits such as biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management, and carbon stocks enhancement.

Former President Kufuor explained that through REDD+, the country will not only reduce deforestation and thereby contribute to global efforts aimed at mitigating climate change, but also derive the myriad ecological, social and economic benefits associated with sustainable management of forests.

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Nii Osah Mills, disclosed that implementation of a new forest and wildlife policy that is expected to transform the sector into a more vibrant and positive one has commenced.

The new policy, he said, has shifted focus from over-reliance on revenue from timber production to maximising revenue from eco-tourism development, watershed protection, payment from environmental services, and the restoration of degraded landscapes -- which hitherto were not recognised as potential elements of socio-economic development.

He said the need for concerted efforts toward protection of the forests and other natural resources is no longer only a national issue requiring attention, but has also become a matter of global concern.

He indicated that the major drivers of deforestation are all related to human activities: such as inappropriate farming practices, illegal exploitation of timber, illegal mining; excessive fuel-harvesting, and rampant wildfires.

Minister Mills said these have led to the significant loss of prime timber species and biodiversity, heavy pollution and drying-up of many water-bodies; increased soil erosion and loss of soil fertility, as well as change of rainfall patterns.

He entreated all to use the forum for creating the necessary awareness on the value of forests as a source of raw material, a provider of employment, food, fuel-wood, shelter, habitats for wildlife, source  of water-bodies and many other eco-system services -- including carbon sequestration as well as climate and temperature regulation.

Henry Kerali, the World Bank Country Director said: “The World Bank has been a steady partner in supporting Ghana’s REDD+ agenda, as it has funded projects that provide integrated investments and capacity development interventions in one of the most ecologically and economically sensitive geographic areas in the country’s High Forest Zone landscape, where cocoa is produced but where deforestation rates are high.  

Particular emphasis, he explained, is on community engagement and empowerment to manage natural resources.  This support is channeled through: The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility Readiness Fund that provided US$8.8million to Ghana to make itself REDD+ ready, including through development of the REDD+ Strategy.

The Forest Investment Programme provides US$30million, with additional financing of US$10million under preparation for investments aimed at improving forest and tree management practices by cocoa farmers, communities and forest reserve managers to reduce forest loss and degradation in Ghana's High Forest Zone, and an additional US$5.5 million for direct capacity building of communities for participation in the REDD+ process.

In addition to these, the US$5million Natural Resources and Environmental Governance Technical Assistance Project supports, among others, studies on tree tenure and benefit sharing that will guide implementation of the FIP and ER-Programme.

He encouraged the country to produce a robust National REDD+ Strategy that will serve as a roadmap to implement its REDD+ programme. “We are pleased to note that your REDD+ Strategy is being prepared through a series of stakeholder consultations, including with communities at the local level.

“Once ready and put into action, it will place Ghana in a unique position to not only reduce deforestation and forest degradation and derive multiple other benefits, but also contribute to the global climate change efforts.

 

“Of course, the REDD+ Strategy is only good when it is implemented; so I wish to encourage Ghana to swiftly move from Strategy formulation to Strategy implementation. We very much look forward to seeing the first major step in Strategy implementation through the Cocoa Landscape Emission Reduction Programme to be approved in 2016 as planned, so that the expected carbon revenues start flowing to Ghana as soon as possible,” he remarked.