1.0 PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND INTENDED RESULTS

1:1 Project Background and Problem Definition
Woadze, is a community south of Hohoe District in the Volta Region of Ghana. This community and its environ is threatened with loss of biodiversity. The community is boarded to the south by Goviefe Agordome, east; Hlefi in the Ho District and to the west is Tsrukpe, Botoku and Tsohor communities all in the Kpando District and Agate to the north. The Woadze community lies along the foot of the Weto Mountains. This mountain like many mountain ecosystems is rich in biodiversity (Conservation International, 1999). The slope of the mountain to its bottom is covered by forest which has timber and non timber products including medicinal plants, spices and various forms of game. Beyond the foot of the mountain is the savannah woodland populated by various birds, rodents and monkeys. However, this natural resource is currently under threat of extinction.

The threat is caused by extensive cultivation of food crops using poor agriculture practices such as slush and burn and cultivation along the slope. This has given rise to extensive deforestation of the mountain forest cover, exposing it to torrential rainfalls and forming deep gullies due to soil erosion along the slope of the mountain. Farmers in the community are not only poor to buy seeds and fertilizers to improve production they also have limited production skills due to inadequate excess to modern farming technology. This is because the community has no agriculture extension officer for quite a long time now. Other practices that have contributed to loss of biodiversity are uncontrolled extraction of timber, game hunting and annual bush fires. Another sad story is that of the only sacred grove which has also been encroachment upon when the last chief priest died ten years ago. Critical to all these unfriendly human activities is the total breakdown of traditional methods of control and use of natural resources.

During the community environmental scan, most animals such as monkeys, bush cows, antelopes, bush pigs which were said to be in abundance in the 60s and 70s in the area are now rare due to 1983 bushfire which has destroyed them. This was exacerbated by the uncontrolled hunting for game as a source of livelihoods. The community is getting worried at the rate of biodiversity loss; even rodents such as grass cutter and rat are becoming scarce. The loss of the mountain forest cover is also implicated in the perennial drying up of rivers Kalen and Agbayi which take their source from the mountain and flows into River Dayi; a tributary of Lake Volta. The habitats for fauna such as small forest foliage frogs, birds, butterflies and insects were said to be very common are now rear. Timber species for commercial purposes such as Odum, Mahogany and Afram are also said to be rare. Some medicinal plants of great value such as, Corynathe pochyerus, Mittragyna stipulosa, Kigelia africana and Balanite aegytica are also reported by community as being less common. These were confirmed by the Regional Forestry Officer (personal communication) as being endangered. Some traditional spices such as black pepper which have high commercial value and serve as source of income for the community especially the women folk are said to be endangered in the community due to unsustainable use and annual bushfires. Other non timber forest products that are also affected include Ego (Thaumatococcus deniellii) and miracle berry which have an export potential as natural sweetening source for diabetic patience and in great demand by pharmaceutical companies.

The effect of removal of the forest cover indeed is reduced soil fertility and soil erosion. Farmers in the community who used to harvest between 7-8 bags of maize per acre can now get only 2-4 bags per acre of yield. This poor agriculture productivity and lack of other forest resources for food such as wild forest yams and game has given rise to food insecurity, low incomes and poverty in the community. This is considered as the push factor for the high out migration of the youth; one out of three to cities like Accra and Tema to look for non-existing jobs.

There is therefore, an urgent need to strengthen community skills, in biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture and provide alternative sources of livelihood to reduce pressure on the mountain resources to minimize the rate of loss of biodiversity and to also reduce poverty.

2.1 Project Strategy and Justification

In view of the above, the project will focus on initiating systems that will protect and regenerate the degraded mountain forest cover, conserve and promote sustainable development practices. It will also seek to establish sustainable livelihoods security enterprises for the community with the aim to reduce poverty. The project will therefore adopt the following strategies:

i. Launch of Project: Launching the project marks an importance step in the life cycle of the project to community. It will enable all collaborators in the project to interact with the community and to serve as publicity for the project and to enhance environmental education not only for the Woadze community but its surrounding communities.

ii. Consolidate baseline data: There was an initial collection of base line data. This will be cross checked and consolidated to use the information to assess the level of change after the end of project when the evaluation of the project will be undertaken.

iii. Building systems for protection of biodiversity: The strategy will involve strengthening local institutions, formulation of local laws base on community?s land use traditions, developing new institutions and building their capacity to educate and enforce local laws. The community will also have the opportunity to be educated on national forest and wildlife policies. The strategy will also include land use planning for the community with the aim to reduce indiscriminate use of natural resource/land.

iv. Regenerating degraded areas of the mountain forest cover: This will be done by enabling community to acquire skills in nursery establishment and management. The forest farms will be established on the mountain to replace traditional food crops which apart from encouraging biodiversity loss also give rise to soil erosion. The components of the farms to be established will involve timber and non-timber forest products indigenous to the area to derive benefit.

v. Engaging in sustainable agriculture practices: Farmers in the community will be introduced to environmentally friendly agriculture practices. They will under go training and receive support to practice it. This will involve bio-intensive vegetable production, zero tillage, and soil and water management practices, cover cropping and agroforestry techniques. To ensure that community do not continue with poor farming practices, the project will build their capacity and establish a demonstration farm for continuous education and practice.

vi. Establishing community resource management areas (CREMAs): The community will be encouraged to conserve biodiversity through the establishment and management of Community Resource Management Area.

vii. Establishing alternative livelihoods security enterprise center: The project will also introduce the community to alternative livelihoods programmes and establish a center for training and to engage in them as business ventures so as to live off the forest.

vii. Learning and sharing: Community will be exposed to similar activities such as CREMAs to increase their enthusiasm and learning. At the end of the project, information generated during the implementation in the form of innovations and experiences will be documented and shared with stakeholders and partners.


3. Project Goal and Objectives
3:1 Project Goal

To reverse lost of biodiversity of the Weto mountain ecosystem, enhance sustainable development practices and reduce poverty in Woadze community.

3.2 Specific Objectives:

i. To reduce further rate of biodiversity loss along the Weto mountain and associated areas of the Woadze community resulting from uncontrolled human activities.
ii. To regenerate degraded mountain forest cover at Woadze and associated areas and conserve biodiversity.
iii. To build community?s capacity for sustainable agriculture and alternative livelihoods security.
iv. To document project learning and experiences and share these with stakeholders.

3.4 Project Rationale

The rationale for the project is to contribute to:
(a) The Government of Ghana?s vision of conserving the country?s biodiversity, especially the wildlife and wetland estate, within and outside reserves; (b) The Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy II; (d) The promotion of community participation in the sustainable management of forest and wildlife resources, as enshrined in the Forest and Wildlife Policy (1994); e) UNDP GEF, objective of supporting biodiversity conservation activities in Ghana; and
(f) To collaborate in the implementation of the local District Assembly Development Plan.

3:5 Linkage of the Project to National Biodiversity Strategies of the Forestry Development Plan of Ghana.

The Ghana government (forestry Commission) recognizes the importance of conserving and sustainable using forest biodiversity, and as such the UNDP Global Environmental Facility has assisted the government to prepare the National Biodiversity Strategy and action Plan (NBSAP) to meet commitments to the CBD as well as to ensure that the country?s globally significant biodiversity is fully considered in any natural resource. Prior to this, in 1994 the Government of Ghana initiated the National Forest and Wildlife Conservation Action Program, in conjunction with the World Bank / UNDP and subsequently, the Forestry Act (1994) was enacted to facilitate establishment of a sustainable Natural Resource Management Additionally, the Forestry Commission has developed CREMA Concept for good governance, transparency and accountability in the forestry sector, and to generate better conditions for landholders. The project?s primary objective is to help local people and government and non-governmental entities to manage and conserve Ghana?s extensive protected Areas. Ghana National Forest Commission through CREMA Concept has stressed the need to empower landowners to manage forest / sustainably and make land degradation less damaging and also encourage landowners to set aside biologically rich natural resource areas for conservation purposes.

4.0 Intended Results/Outputs and Activities:

Objective 1: To reduce further lost of biodiversity along the Weto Mountain and the associated areas in Woadze community resulting from human activities.

Output 1.1: Education for community involvement in mountain ecosystem management undertaken

Activities:
i. Produce educational materials for community animation.
ii. Facilitate a community forum on environment.
iii. Select and training of 30 community environmental educators (CEE).
iv. Form environmental clubs in schools.
v. Form community environment management committee.

Output 1.2: Capacity building workshop for community institutions undertaken.

Activities:
i. Identify community institutions and use of natural resources.
ii. Assess knowledge gap and skills of community institutions
iii. Organize two days community capacity building workshop for institutions.

Output 1.3: Community land use plan developed and the associated institutions strengthened within 6 months of inception of project.

Activities:
i. Identify community traditions for land use and documenting them
ii. Facilitate participatory processes to formulate rules for community land use.
iii. Identify and build capacity for community land use institutions
iv. Demarcate areas by the community for specific use.

Output 1.4: Systems for bushfire management developed

Activities:
i. Organize anti-bush fire campaign
ii. Mobilize community to construct fire belts
iii. Enact local laws to curb incidence of bushfires
iv. Select and train community fire volunteers
v. Form task force to enforce local laws on bushfire

Objective 2: To regenerate degraded mountain forest cover at Woadze and associated areas and conserve biodiversity.

Output 2.1 Community tree nursery established
Activities:
i. Form and train nursery management committee
ii. Select and prepare site for nursery.
iii. Organize community workshops and meetings to select timber and non-timber tree species for nursing
iv. Acquire tools and equipment for nursery establishment
v. Acquire seeds, cuttings and nursery materials.
vi. Hold workshop on nursery establishment and maintenance
vii. Prepare seed beds, filling of poly bags and nursing
viii. Help community to acquire skills in nursery management through learning by doing

Output 2.2: One hundred and fifty (150) hectares of mountain forest cover planted with timber and non-timber species.

Activities:
i. Identify and assess areas for replanting.
ii. Organize workshop on reforestation and tree growing.
iii. Distribute seedlings for planting.
iv. Monitor planting and growing of seedlings.

Output 2.3: Community Resource Management Areas (CREMA) established.

Activities:
i. Organize a community workshop on CREMA and the concept of sustainability.
ii. Organize exchange visit for Project leadership to communities operating CREMA.
iii. Select and demarcate areas for CREMA.
iv. Undertake enrichment planting of some rare useful plant species.
v. Organize community workshop to develop structure and institutions for CREMA.
vi. Organize training for CREMA management committee.

Objective 3: To build community?s capacity for sustainable agriculture system and alternative livelihoods security.

Output 3.1: Capacity in sustainable agriculture for those with farms on the mountain area built.
Activities:
i. Engage community on the concept of sustainable agriculture.
ii. Introduce sustainable farming practice (zero tillage, contour ploughing, strip cropping, and water harvesting and erosion control) to farmers.
iii. Train farmers in agroforestry techniques for farm Forest.
iv. Establish four community and individual on-farm woodlots as source of energy.

Output 3.2: Community sustainable agriculture demonstration farm established
Activities:
i. Assist community to choose site for demonstration farm.
ii. Engage community in farm planning and building of farm structures.
iii. Acquire equipment, tools and planting materials.
iv. Develop curriculum for training.
v. Train community in sustainable agriculture practices. especially zero tillage, cover cropping, soil and water management, compost making and application).
vi. Monitor application of skills for sustainable agriculture.

Output 3.3: Alternative livelihoods established.

Activities:
i. Organize community meeting on alternative livelihoods
ii. Provide training in alternative livelihoods (bee keeping, snail, grass cutter and small ruminants rearing).
iii. Provide seed money in form of breeding stock to participants.
iv. Establish community alternative livelihoods enterprise center.
v. Train community in micro business management.
vi. Engage community to make rules for managing and benefiting from project.


Objective 4: To document project learning and share experiences with stakeholders.

Output 4.1: A document on Weto mountain ecosystem restoration and sustainable livelihood security produced.

Activities:
i. Organize a documentation workshop
ii. Write up document
iii. Publish document.

Output 4.2: A workshop to share learning and experiences undertaken

Activities:
i. Select place for workshop and hire venue
ii. Select and send invites to stakeholders
iii. Mount pictures of project
iv. Make presentation on document