The socioeconomic baseline data collected revealed that the project areas were experiencing climate related problems as follows:

1. Climate change effects farming system. The community landscape experiences extreme temperatures during the dry season and severe flooding during the wet season. This has affected land productivity thereby compromising food security in the area.

2. There are no rules governing natural resource management and utilization.

3. Increasing use of harmful chemicals for clearing of agricultural lands

4. Indiscriminate felling of trees for charcoal production and rosewood for timber

5. Incessant bush burning

6. Extensive farming along river banks resulting in chemicals infiltration thereby kill aquatic species

7. Inadequate socioeconomic infrastructure (especially toilet facility, market and bad road network)

8. There was less variety of sustainable, income-generating activities

The survey also revealed that during off farm seasons or in times of poor harvests; families find it very difficult to make ends meet which is a major burden on women and children who suffer the more. The recent economic downturn, poor rainfall pattern with attendant poor harvests by farmers have aggravated the problem.

Main objective
To enhance the adaptability and resilience of the local farmers to climate change through the introduction of climate smart agricultural practices and ecological farming supply of water in the Surugbokro and Nipanekro communities in the Banda District of the Bono Region.

Specific objectives

a. To promote sustainable agroforestry through alley cropping and woodlot establishment on degraded lands.

b. To build and sustain capacities of local farmers in ecological farming through zero tillage, soil water conservation practices, organic compost preparation and good agronomic practices to sustainably increase agricultural productivity and income of farmers.

To support sustainable livelihood enterprise using aquaponic and organic vegetable cultivation to help farmers cope with climate change.

Expected Outputs

By the end of the planed project, the project will achieve the following results

a. 60 farming households would be introduced to ecological farming including zero tillage, organic compost preparation, and good agronomic practices.

b. 10 ha of degraded and agricultural lands placed under agroforestry farming practices and woodlots.

DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Output 1:60 farming households would be introduced to ecological farming including zero tillage, organic compost preparation, and good agronomic practices.

Planned Activities

1.1 Conduct community assessment with local farmers.

Although a baseline survey was carried out prior to the submission of this proposal, the project team together with some of the local farmers will conduct community baseline assessment to further define in quantitative terms the problem on the ground. The data collected will have indicators against which the project outputs will be measured.

1.2 Form and Train Project Management Team (PMT) for the Project.

The PMT members will be elected from the Surugbokro and Nipanekro communities, the communities that are going to benefit from the project, major stakeholders, and the staff of Save Our Environment Foundation. The PMT members will be taken through the project out puts, objectives and the tools they will use to measure the progress of the project.

1.3 Train and support 60 farm families in zero tillage, compost preparation and application, and good agronomic practices.

Community sensitization workshops would be organized in the community to create awareness on causes, effects, and control/preventive measures of climate change. Farmer would be trained through farmer school schemes to help farmers invest in climate smart agriculture and ecological farming.

1.4 Train farmers on simple book-keeping

Since most of the farmers are non-literates coupled with the fact that all they lack is business enterprise development skills, the project will organize two hands-on-training workshops targeting at least 120 farmers to upgrade their skills and knowledge of simple book keeping practices such as keeping data and making entries, calculating profits etc. The beneficiary communities will be taught the various records to be kept and how to keep those records properly.

1.5 Organize training for farmers on intensive wildfire prevention and management.

Perennial wildfires continue to be a major threat to sustainable environmental development. At least 50 farmers in both communities would be educated on wild fire prevention and control. Again, a nine member committee from each community would be trained as wild fire control and prevention volunteers in the Surugbokro and Nipanekro communities. To enable the volunteers effectively carry out their duties, they shall be equipped with basic firefighting materials such as wellington boots, cutlasses, and overall aprons, among others and shall also be given identification cards to prevent imposters. The squad shall be duly recognized by the District Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the District Assembly and the Traditional leaders and shall provide the necessary assistance.

Output 2: 10 ha of degraded and agricultural lands under agroforestry farming practices and woodlots.

Planned Activities

2.1 Establish community tree nursery.

The communities shall establish 50,000 potted tree seedlings of indigenous species which are fast growing and can be used as fuel wood such as cassia, and those which can fix nitrogen into the soil and can be used in alley cropping such as Gliricidia and Moringa. A five member nursery management committee shall be formed and trained on tree nursery establishment and management in each of the communities. The committee members shall be provided with simple nursery establishment/management tools and be given training on tree nursery establishment. This will be done in collaboration with the District Forest Services Division.