Restoring Ghana’s Black Volta Basin ecosystem

Project update

5 Sept

Written By International Tree Foundation

Since 2020, we’ve been planting trees with local communities to restore and protect the riparian forests around the Black Volta Basin in Northwest Ghana.

Conservation awareness session at Bamalakura

This year we’ve planted 15,700 trees across Kuur, Kulmasa, Telekura, Bamalakura and Maluwe, working together with our partner, Environment and Agroforestry Foundation (EAF).

Planting the right trees in the right place helps to restore soil health, increase biodiversity and reduce soil erosion.

Tackling food insecurity

Due to climate change, food insecurity is a major growing concern for communities worldwide.

That’s why we’re working with local farmers to increase crop production through training on Agroforestry (a sustainable land management practice of planting trees and crops).

Trees planted will help local farmers to improve soil fertility and make their land more resilient to climate change, providing them with a sustainable source of income to support and feed their families.

Preventing wild bush fires

This project is more than just planting trees!

We’re also raising awareness on conservation and training the local community on wildfire management to prevent the occurrence of bush fires.

And we’re happy to report that through this project, we have engaged over 2,000 people living in communities neighbouring the Black Volta Basin in conservation and wild fire management best practices.

Meet Fanta

Fanta is an ambitious and entrepreneurial woman from Bamalakura who sells shea butter.

Fanta was very interested in getting involved with the project as she could plant trees that sustain her livelihood while contributing to community efforts restore her local landscape.

“After all, the trees planted support my shea butter business so I must support their survival”, said Fanta.

Sustainable Community Forestry

This project, is part of our Sustainable Community Forestry programme (SCF) which supports communities on the front lines of the climate crisis to develop and implement their own solutions to restoring landscapes and tree cover whilst improving livelihoods.

Thanks to funding from Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund, ITF is working with 16 partners across 7 African countries to take effective action against the climate and biodiversity crises.