At the preliminary meetings with the interest groups are identified to carry-out the various aspects, the project identified 100 youth and about 600 school pupils in the communities with discussions and messages on landscape degradation, causes and effects and what the project will be doing. More than 60 % of women in each community and their men agreed they will plant and maintain the trees on farms and degraded areas for both their individual and communal benefits.
With 80 women and 60 men (who are former charcoal producers) agreed they will like to be trained in producing and using energy-efficient cook stoves and work in other alternative livelihood activities. Also, about 60% men and 40% women agreed they will like to be trained in bee-keeping, while all (100%) women indicated strongly that they will like to acquire skills in improved shea-butter processing with value addition. In each of the 2 project communities, between 1 and 3 men and 3 and 4 women agreed they will be ready to avail themselves for quarterly monitoring visits, and will be available to share and discuss the results with other community members. The outcomes of discussions paved way for detailed discussions that culminated in the project design processes and final decisions on structure of content of the proposed project initiative
Based on previous results and past knowledge and experiences, there is always the need to target men and women for equal participation in all project implementation processes but mindful of the gender roles and removing any obstacles restraining say women from freely participating and having a voice in project activities such as during durbars and community meetings and workshops. In the male-dominated beneficiary communities such as Jentilpe and Kiape, women?s groups have already been formed and established, so they will be mobilized in formalized co-operatives and will be trained and equipped as small business enterprises and Village Savings and Loans groups to replace the reliance on charcoal production and sales. Women will also work with their male counterparts to undertake organic bee-keeping, and those of them who are traditionally skilled in shea-butter preparation will be trained and equipped to undertake organic shea butter processing with value addition.
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
Community durbars and stakeholder workshops will be held at the start of the project and at the end. At the start the essence of the durbar is to bring the Chiefs, Elders men, women youth and children to be aware of and recognize their roles in implementation and results expected and achieved so as to solicit their cooperation and support for the project. Their involvement at the beginning and end may engender their active interest and cooperation up to the end of the project. It is significant to systematically document the processes of carrying out the durbars, the sacred groves & sites & sites management activities and most importantly the training procedures for the improved or organic shea butter processing and value addition or in bee-keeping and organic honey production methods for other communities or projects of the Assemblies to emulate.
Inovative Financial Mechanisms
It is hoped that when the website of PAPADEV is operational some of the procedures, processes carried-out during the trainings will be recorded pictorially, graphically or as narratives for others to follow. With well-laid out plans, processes and procedures the ideas can be replicated in other areas without hiring the services of the trainers again. Papadev will seek community support from the District Assemblies to sustain the activities of the organic shea butter processors and organic honey producers to ensure sustained production. PAPADEV will assist producers to access regular markets including foreign shea butter buyers who are very interested in the organic products. Most importantly an end-of-project workshop will be organised to discuss with the District stakeholders especially the District Assemblies about the project achievements and the exit strategy developed for the sustainability of the project and handing-over to District authorities
Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
Mobilize and train 40 interested livestock farmers in improved livestock husbandry and supply/provide improved breeds of male sheep and goats to improve their stock, efficiency and volume of production and income security.
Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
The indigenous people will be involved in organic shea production, bee keeping
Policy Impact
Yes. Management of sacred groves
Capacity - Building Component
organic shea-butter processing with value addition, packaging and marketing including exporting.
Organic bee keeping
Project Results
PROJECT RESULTS FOR FIRST QUARTER
At the beginning of the project, 30 community conservation committee was established which included
(22 Males and 8 Females). The project took place in the Kiape and Jentilpe communities. A training on how to preserve the sacred grove was taught. The group was also supported with tools such as hoes and cutlasses. A one kilometer walk trail within the woodlands of the sacred grove/sites was organized in order to enable help the members of the community to become familiar with the boundaries of the sacred grove and also identify sites that were being degraded in the sacred groves and to start reclaiming the land as soon as possible.
A total number of 40 people from both communities were trained on how to prevent bush fires and were also taught on how to create a fire belt. In addition, they also had another practical demonstration of fighting bush fire using leaves of plants with the education that, they should always position themselves at the side of the fire where wind is not blowing towards else, it can be dangerous especially when the fire is a wild one.
The training in small scale management took place in the two project communities, Kiape and Jentilpe on 28th and 29th March, 2022 respectively. In both communities, a total of one hundred (100) people were trained. Which is made up of sixteen (16) males and eighty seven (84) females. Specifically. Kiape; Male = 6, Female = 44, Total = 50 and Jentilpe; Male = 10, Female = 40, Total = 50.
In attendance, were other extra three people who voluntarily joined the training?
The main purpose of the training was to equip the beneficiaries with the basic knowledge in the establishment and management of small scale business which will go a long way to improve upon their livelihoods.
A retraining session on village savings and loans was organized for both villages The purpose of the training was to revitalize the dormant groups, re-strengthen the active ones and sensitize them on alternative livelihoods ventures to invest in. Training has helped them to be committed to their groups and widen their sources of generating incomes through alternative livelihood ventures. The communities were also taught on how to build commercial and household fuel wood efficient cook stoves. The trainers are from Rural Technology Facility (RTF), Bole. The training was purely practical with a few instructions to trainees and they learnt through observation.
80 trainees made up of 12 men and 68 women household heads were trained in the construction of energy efficient fuel wood cook stoves for their domestic uses. 10 domestic energy efficient fuel wood cook stoves were also constructed in the two communities as a start.
Activities planned and completed this reporting period and results achieved during the second phase.
Activities Planned and Implemented and results achieved
Activity 2.1. Hire resource person for the demarcation, digitization, and identification of relevant plant species in sacred grove/site
This activity was completed resulting in about 50 ha of the two sites in Jentilpe and Kiape protected and conserved. Most plant species have been identified and recorded and about 40 plants have been identified labelled on iron sheets and pasted on the relevant trees identified within the walkways. These are being used for Education of nearby JHS and SSH schools.
Activity 2.4 Establish and manage about 50 ha of community sacred groves/sites and planting of the degraded areas of the undergrowth of the woodlands.
About 10 hectares of the degraded landscape of the conservation sites were replanted with 1,310 seedlings of different plant species, while natural regeneration of degraded areas were enhanced (strictly no fresh wood/shrub harvesting) to enrich and re-enforce the bio-diversity of the sites/ areas.
Activity 1.4 Organize Radio discussions in English and a local language (Gonja) on landscape degradation due deforestation for fuelwood, bushfires and other factors and livelihood restoration efforts in project communities
Over 20,000 radio listeners (Radio Survey in Bole) in Bole and STK Districts were educated or sensitized on factors causing landscape degradation, need for conservation or management of the forests and woodlands and provision of livelihoods as demonstrated by the GEF/SGP at Jentilpe and Kiape communities.
Activity 4.1 Train and support 40 beneficiaries (60% women) in bee-keeping and organic honey production
Forty (40) men and women (29 males and 11 females) trained and acquired knowledge and skills in bee keeping and organic honey production to be used as an alternative livelihood activity and 20 bee hives sited and in various stages of honey production.
Activity 4.2 Train 60 women in organic shea-butter processing with value addition such as pomade making for skincare
Sixty (40) women trained in improved or organic shea butter production and perfumed pomade making using shea butter. A shea-butter production shed with equipment such as miller, crusher, a motor and roaster provided and used for production.
Activity 4.5 Train in 30 women in African star fruit juice processing and packaging materials for Kiape community (women and PWDs).
30 women trained and are skilled in the processing 3 types of local fruit juice drinks, that is, in African star fruit juice (??Alawe drink?, ?Sobolobo' and Tamarind or ?Samia drinks?) and producing for sale to community and school children.
Activities planned but not completed in this reporting period and reasons for delay.
All planned activities were executed.
Activities planned to be completed in the next reporting period.
Mobilize and train 40 interested livestock farmers in improved livestock husbandry and supply/provide improved breeds of male sheep and goats to improve their stock, efficiency and volume of production and income security.
Organize Radio discussions in English and two local languages.
Organize an end-of-project workshop to inform 30 district stakeholders of the exit strategy for the sustainability of the project and handing-over to District authorities and reporting.
Project Monitoring and Evaluation
Experience, lessons learnt and issues in this reporting period.
1. The planting of Leucaena and mahogany in the degraded area of the Jentilpe conservation area as livestock feed was a good idea but they served as palatable feed for the livestock from the nearby Brifor community which were released after the harvest of crops to roam freely. Different plant species will be used and planted next year.
2. There was late acquisition and planting of seedlings which did not help the growing process. This year all planting will be done by June.
3. The provision of beehives in the Grove area evokes in the people a spirit of continued protection of the sites against bushfires, invasion by herdsmen and their cattle hence helps.
4. According to the women beneficiaries of the organic shea-butter processing group, the provision and use of machines for milling, crushing, roasting has made the shea butter processing easier and less time consuming hence has been greatly appreciated.
Besides, when the shea-nuts are out of season, they use the mill for grinding grains and nuts for themselves at a fee and this is kept and used to service the machines and buy electricity. They however await a better market for their organic Shea-butter.
5. The women in Kiape were trained in 3 local fruit juices production, that is, Tamarind (Samia drink) Hibiscus flower (sobolobo drink) and Samba fruit (Alawe drink) two of which are growing locally in the area. This is to make sure that in every season they can produce local fruit drinks for sale to the community and school children and Bole market.
6. The labelling and pasting of labels on plants within the walking trail has served as way to educate school children on the scientific names, local names, and uses of the plants.
The involvement of District organizations especially forestry Services, Fire Service, Rural Development and Community Development in training and radio discussions has made them to be more involved in issues of development in their domains and their readiness to continue these programmes after the project is ended.
