Safeguarding the ecological integrity of the Atewa Forest Reserve through the promotion of best agroecological practices

Overview

The Atewa Range Forest Reserve is a biodiversity hotspot and the habitat of about 20% of all threatened species known in Ghana. The landscape is surrounded by more than 40 communities and settlements within 1-5km radius. Estimated population is 67,266 people, of which more than half (52.1%) are women. These people directly or indirectly depend on the resources provided by Atewa forest for their livelihoods. Agriculture is the primary economic activity for more than 80% of the surrounding community members. Most men prefer the production of tree crops (e.g., cocoa, rubber, and oil palm), while women dominate the food crops and spice production sectors. In general, agricultural productivity is low in this area, which is the main cause of low household income for most communities. Most people therefore supplement their income by collecting and selling non-timber forest products (NTFPs) from the nearby Atewa Range Forest Reserve. A study by Conservation Alliance (2022) revealed that more than 62% of households within the Atewa landscape are directly engaged in the trade of NTFPs to complement household incomes. The over-harvesting of NTFPs significantly contributes to the loss of biodiversity within the Atewa forest landscape.

To address this challenge, the project will strengthen the women’s cooperative in resource governance and promote the adoption of best practices in agricultural and conservation practices for enhancing household incomes. Improvement in household incomes will reduce over-exploitation of forest resources. It will also be critical to raise the community’s awareness about the value of biodiversity conservation to mobilize the restoration of about 20 hectares of degraded land.

Planned activities:

• Engagement of key institutions and stakeholders
• Women’s cooperative governance system
• Awareness of the value of biodiversity conservation
• Promotion of agricultural production and productivity practice
• Linkage to export markets
• Restoration of degraded areas
• Data collection and management