Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice-President of Ghana has launched the Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reductions Project (GSLERP) to mitigate the effects of climate change on the fragile ecosystem of the northern savannah zone as well as improve the shea value chain.
The project was developed by the Forestry Commission, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Shea Alliance and funded through the Green Climate Fund with a grant of 30.1 million dollars and 24.4-million-dollar co-financing by the Government of Ghana and the private sector (Global Shea Alliance).
Under the project being implemented in the Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East and Upper West Regions, the Vice President revealed that 1.7 million shea trees will be planted to restore degraded shea parklands and forests and enhance the livelihood opportunities along the shea value chain to generate more value for women and the private sector.
Dr. Bawumia indicated that the project interventions will lead to decreased deforestation and fire management, covering almost 500,000 hectares as well as delivering 6.139 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents in emission reductions and removals over the first seven years of the project’s lifetime.
GSLERP Project in Line With Government Vision
At the launch of the project in Tamale, Dr. Bawumia stated that the program is in line with government’s ambitions.
“The project is in line with the number one priority of the government, which seeks to stimulate growth in the real sectors of the economy, particularly through agricultural production systems.”
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia
The Vice President averred that the project provides the unique opportunity to engage in the forest commodity shea and its by-products, “which are an important income generating activity for over 600,000 women, and has gained prominence as preferred ingredient in the cosmetics and food processing industry globally.”
The northern savannah landscape is currently undergoing rapid deforestation and degradation, including the loss of valuable shea trees.
Dr Bawumia opined that the project has aligned well with the national climate policy, which sought to build a climate-resilient and climate compatible economy while achieving sustainable development through low carbon economic growth in the country.
“It addresses nine Sustainable Development Goals on no poverty, zero hunger, gender equality, economic growth.
“It also represents one of the key commitments in the country’s updated nationally determined contributions to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.”
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia
Dr. Bawumia added that the project will also “address the financial constraints of shea farmers and ensure that gender equality prevails in shea production systems.”
The Veep, therefore, called on all stakeholders and beneficiaries of the project in the five regions of the north to collaborate to achieve the set targets and build ecosystem resilience.
Mr Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, on his part, noted that the project would deliver transformative development with focus on people, industry and environment in the northern savannah landscape as well as contribute significantly to the global fight against climate change and its effects.
Mr Jinapor stated that effective implementation of the project would result in improved and sustainable ecosystem services, improve productivity levels of the shea supply chain, increase resilience to climate change and improve livelihood for small holder farmers.
The minister commended chiefs in the northern part of the country for banning fuel wood and rosewood harvesting and commercial charcoal production, saying the ban would go a long way to protect the shea trees and support the fight against deforestation.
Dr Angela Lusigi, UNDP Resident Representative, said the implementation of the project showed that the country was taking appropriate steps to fight desertification.
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