BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT AREA

Zabzugu, Tatale and Gorkugani communities constitute part of the dryland areas and the most seriously affected desertification-prone areas of the Zabzugu-Tatale District of the Northern region. The communities fall under the Guinea and Sudan Savannah agro-ecological zones with mono modal rainfall pattern. Rainfall amount varies from 645 mm to 1,250 mm per annum with a long dry period of more than 5 months follows with little agricultural activity and limited income during the period. The vegetation consists of a short drought and fire resistant deciduous trees interspersed with open savannah grassland. Grass cover is very sparse and in most areas, the land is bare and severely eroded.

The areas share borders with Republic Togo to the West and East with Yendi which is conflict prone area which creates a lot of insecurity. The results of insecurity has created a lot of mistrust among the people, friends, family and other relations etc thereby, creating job insecurity, high rate of illiteracy, high school drop out rates, poverty, lack of infrastructure and out-migration of the economically active population of the area. A typical example of this out-migration problem is the high incidence of migration of young girls from the region to the south to engage in menial work popularly called “kayaoo” or to Togo to engage in other trading activities. This brings with it attendant reproductive health/sexually transmitted problems such as HIV/AIDS. This has greatly retarded the socio-economic development of the affected districts.

Agriculture is the predominant livelihood strategy for people in this area. It is the most important activity in terms of spatial extent employing about 60% of the labour force. Agriculture is not merely an economic activity; for most people it has been a way of life for many centuries. The economic base of the area hinges on smallholder agriculture with over 80 percent of the population depending on agriculture for their livelihood. The crops grown include Guinea corn, maize, yams, vegetables, and beans. Groundnuts and cotton are cultivated as cash crops. These crops are cultivated in compound and bush farms. Land preparation is largely by hoeing and in few cases by draught animals and tractors. Soil fertility in compound farms is managed using household refuse, crop residue and animal dung. In the bush farms land holdings are usually large and soil fertility is managed by crop rotation, and short fallow periods that allow the soil to regain its fertility. Shea (Vitellaria paradoxa), Baobab (Adansonia digitata), and Dawadawa (Parkia biglobosa) trees are well protected on cropped fields. Cashew and mango are also cultivated.

Pito brewing and shea butter processing are the main economic activities of most women in the savannah region. The raw materials used for brewing the drink are guinea corn, water and fuel wood.


3.0 DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM

Land degradation manifested by soil erosion, water scarcity, reduced agricultural productivity and decreased nutritional value of food crops are the main problems of the . Land degradation and drought are causing severe hardship for many people who directly depend upon the natural resources for survival. Women and children, in particular, bear the greatest burden in times of drought. Women are responsible for hauling water and firewood for the household, and desertification can add hours to labour to an already fully charged workday. During food scarcity, the health of women and children are also at greater risk.

The high incidence of bushfires and alarming rate of tree felling for fuel-wood and charcoal production has contributed to deforestation of large tracts of land. The deforestation process has changed the water-holding capacity of the soil and the percolation needed to recharge groundwater aquifers. It also increases surface evaporation, resulting in a loss of moisture into the atmosphere. Denuded soils are more vulnerable to erosion leading to loss of arable agricultural farmlands and increased siltation.

2.2 GHANA’S EFFORTS TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION

The Government of Ghana demonstrated a clear commitment to address desertification by ratifying the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and Desertification, particularly in Africa (UNCCD) on December 1996, soon after its adoption. The UNCCD recognizes the important role of civil society (Non-Governmental Organisations – NGOs, and community-based organizations - CBOs) for the implementation of the Convention. Combating desertification and land degradation depends, in the end, on how farmers, herders and other natural resource users manage their land. Therefore, traditional knowledge and appropriate technologies developed at the grass-roots level will always play a significant role in the fight against land degradation.

Currently, the approved NAP includes many areas of support. Some of the NAP programs are not clearly focused on desertification and appear to be more general rural development initiatives. It is important for the GoG to take the existing NAP and make it more operational. This will include mainstreaming the NAP into the national and district level development planning, setting priorities, developing workplans based on available resources, acknowledging areas where institutional strengthening is needed, and clearly identifying the lead and collaborating ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

To effectively carry out its lead role, the EPA has strengthened its mandated functions of regulation and educational awareness at all levels: national, regional and district, including the formation and support of District Environmental Management Committees (DEMCs) that have recently been established as part of the GoG decentralization exercise. Linkages have been strengthened between EPA and the research and extension organizations, community and women’s organizations and NGOs.

3.3 GHANA’S NATIONAL ACTION PROGRAMME TO COMBAT DROUGHT AND DESERTIFICATION (NAP)

The NAP outlines the bio-physical, socio-economic and land use/resource management aspects, the assessment and monitoring needs and the measures for mitigating desertification and drought. Decreased rainfall and low soil fertility, combined with poor cultivation and water management practices, deforestation, bushfires and mining activities are the major concerns. The NAP recommends a series of strategies to be pursued primarily through an integrated watershed management approach. The major themes outlined in the NAP emphasize the following:

• Strengthening capacities and incentives for community-based action by District Assemblies and Traditional Authorities to address desertification;
• Development and dissemination of land and water management technologies and integrated watershed management;
• Promotion of sustainable agriculture, agro forestry and community fuelwood plantations;
• Promotion of drought-tolerant crops, dryland farming systems and rangeland management;
• Bush burning control, modifications and alternatives, and community support and sanctions;
• Development and dissemination of soil fertility enhancement measures and integrated nutrient management;
• Diversification of agricultural livelihood and expanded dry season farming opportunities; and
• Improved capacities to anticipate and to respond to drought and desertification.

This PAMA project in the northern Savannah is to restore 100 ha of degraded lands in the Zabuzugu-Tatale District through sustainable agriculture practices, agro-forestry, gender mainstreaming, improved food security, alternative sustainable livelihoods, and carbon sequestration using natural regeneration technologies.

2.4 MAIN GOAL

The main goal of this project is to enhance community capacities and opportunities for sustainable land management, alternative livelihood activities, improved market access, and trade to mitigate the causes and impacts of land degradation and desertification, and promote poverty reduction.
2.4.1 Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of the project are:

- To raise the awareness of rural drylands communities of the importance of sustainable land/resource use and management for their lives and livelihoods;

- To build the capacities of rural communities in land restoration and sustainable management through training in sustainable agricultural practices, community based forest woodlot/agro-forestry, wildfire management, reforestation/afforestation and enrichment planting.

- To contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable resource use through training in sustainable alternative livelihood activities and developing market access/trade links based mainly on sustainable harvesting and processing of local natural resources.

3.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT OUTCOMES, OUTPUTS AND ACTIVITIES
3.1 PROJECT OUTCOMES

The implementation of the project will produce three main outcomes:

1) Increased awareness of rural drylands communities of the importance of sustainable land/resource use and management for their lives and livelihoods;
2) Enhanced capacities of drylands communities for land restoration and sustainable land and resource management;
3) Poverty reduction and sustainable alternative livelihood activities developed and promoted.

Outcome 1. Increased awareness of rural drylands communities of the importance of sustainable land/resource use and management for their lives and livelihoods.

The component activities will seek to develop awareness at district and community levels of the need for sustainable land and natural resources management for lives and livelihoods. The project will work with District Assemblies to raise awareness of the need for communities to plan, coordinate and execute community-based land management and natural resource management programmes. The project will work closely with community-based organisation, farmers’ organisations, women’s groups and other civil society organisations to raise awareness widely amongst local communities.

The component will seek to build on and strengthen traditional knowledge and local sustainable land use practices through the integration of traditional and scientific techniques aimed at promoting sustainable land and resource use. The project will develop awareness creation programs that emphasise the role that indigenous knowledge plays in sustainable use and conservation of natural resources.

Outcome 2 Enhanced capacities of drylands communities for land restoration and sustainable land and resource management.

The component aims to train farmers, communities and land users in land restoration, sustainable land management practices, natural regeneration, woodlot and plantation establishment, reintroduction of threatened species, and restoration of vegetation cover as well as measures to prevent and control desertification. The Component will focus on activities that would reverse the current damaging production patterns and promote sustainable development of natural resources and protection of biodiversity by involving key stakeholders including civil society organizations, traditional authorities, women’s groups, farmers’ organisations and other rural resource user groups.

Training in sustainable land and resource management strategies and action plans to prevent rapid degradation of the savannah woodland, wildlife and water resources as well as biodiversity and specifically soil and water conservation through sustainable agriculture, agro-forestry, de-savannization, wild fire control and bush meat exploitation will be a key activity. Training would include agro-forestry techniques, nursery and woodlot establishment, desertification control, water and soil management, and land restoration. Another important activity will be the promotion of participatory community-based landuse planning.

Outcome 3. Poverty reduction and sustainable alternative livelihood activities developed and promoted.

This component will research viable small-scale opportunities for business development. It will then provide training and support in identified area for the production, processing and marketing of products from the savannas and other ecological systems in the northern region. These might include, for example, shea butter processing, bush meat, wood fuel, gum Arabic, honey and bee waxes, shea butter, plant-based oil, medicinal plants, and herbal medicines. In addition, it will provide support for diversification of sources of rural income and interlinked development of farm, natural resource-based and non-farm activities that can reduce rural poverty such as production of tie-and-dye fabrics. The project will support technologies that can combine, for instance, low input agriculture and forestry (including wildlife, wood fuel production) and innovative rotations to improve food security, rural income and reduce poverty. The use of energy efficient stoves to reduce pressure on fuelwood will also be supported. The project will provide funds for business start-ups through the establishment of a micro-finance facility.

3.2 PROJECT OUTPUTS:

The project intervention will produce four main outputs as follows:

Output 1
- Awareness raised amongst 4 dryland communities in the northern region of the importance of land restoration, and sustainable land management and resource use for their future lives and livelihoods;
Output 2
- 100 ha of degraded lands in the three communities restored and 100 farmers trained in integrated sustainable agriculture, agro-forestry systems, wildfire management, natural regeneration establishment, enrichment planting and woodlot establishment.
Output 3
- 100 people trained in sustainable alternative livelihood strategies such as shea butter processing; integrated livestock/small ruminant rearing; honey production; tie-dye fabric production; sustainable woodfuel and charcoal production.
Output 4
Models, Systems and Best Practices in sustainable land management in the savannah region documented and disseminated

3.3 DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Output 1.0 Awareness amongst three dryland communities in the northern region of the importance of land restoration, and sustainable land management and resource use for their future lives and livelihoods increased.

Planned Activities

1.1 Compile baseline information on the project area
The current environmental, social and economic situations in the project area will be compiled and stored in a database. The information will be used to determine knowledge gaps where awareness needs to be raised and as the basis for developing the awareness raising materials. Gathering of local traditional knowledge and local land use systems will be important in this respect.

1.2 Introduce weekly environmental awareness programmes on local FM Stations.
The project will promote weekly environmental education programmes and awareness of the importance of bushfire prevention. These will focus on the community and district levels and will be broadcast on all FM stations in the Savannah region. Resource persons will come from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Forest Services Division (FSD), Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and NGOs. The main subjects of discussion will be sustainable land management practices and the negative impacts of poor landuse practices on the environment and livelihoods. This activity will be carried out throughout the project period.

1.3 Organize stakeholder forums in the project area.

The stakeholder forums will be undertaken in 4 communities (to include community members, traditional authorities, district assemblies etc) and will promote environmental awareness programmes to develop awareness, change attitudes and behaviours of the people to promote sustainable land use based on the integration of traditional and scientific knowledge. The forums will introduce innovative strategies for sustainable land management in the drylands.

1.4 Organise durbars to raise awareness about the importance of wildfire prevention and establish community volunteer wildfire squads.
Community durbars will be undertaken to raise awareness amongst dryland communities of the importance of wildfire prevention and control. One hundred (100) members of communities will be trained and equipped as wildfire management volunteers squad to serve as watchdog committees to ensure responsible environmental behaviour. They will be trained in fire fighting and first aid techniques. After the training they will be issued with identification cards and Wellington boots.

Output 2: 100 ha of degraded lands in the three communities restored and 100 farmers trained in integrated sustainable agriculture, agro-forestry systems, wildfire management, natural regeneration establishment, enrichment planting and woodlot establishment.

Planned Activities

2.1 Identify and demarcate 100 ha of degraded land areas and put them under natural regeneration and organize enrichment planting in the project areas.
Forty hectares of degraded lands, including community lands, in the project area will be demarcated and put under natural regeneration and rehabilitation. Each area would be surveyed, mapped and indentures signed to secure the sites. Seedlings for enrichment planting will be supplied from local nurseries to be established in the communities. Soil and water conservation measures and improved pasture and woodland management will be implemented.

2.2 Establish community nurseries
Two community nurseries of 550,000-seedling capacity will be established by the community groups to supply seedlings to all communities involved in the project. A group of 6 people (2 men and 4 women) would be trained as nursery managers to look after the two nurseries. The nurseries will generate additional income for the project from the sale of fruit seedlings. The project will assist local level entrepreneurs with training, materials, simple tools and equipment to operate their own nurseries to produce the needed planting materials. The project would support the introduction of improved planting materials.

2.3 Establish a multipurpose woodlot and fodder bank

To reduce the pressure on savannah woodlands as a source of fodder for livestock and energy, a 5-hectare multipurpose woodlot will be established to provide fodder for livestock and to supply wood fuel for the community. This will improve livestock production in the area. Fast growing trees will be supplied from the community nurseries for propagation in the multipurpose woodlot. Seeds of improved forage species will also be broadcast to grow freely and serve as feed for livestock.

2.4 Establish Agro forestry systems on farms

The project will encourage 50 interested farmers to establish at least 1ha of agro-forestry under alley cropping to reduce pressure on the savannah woodlands as well as improve soil fertility. Other interested farmers will make field trips to visit the agro-forestry areas and learn from the experiences of farmers implementing alley cropping to encourage more farmers to adopt these practices.

2.5 Organize natural resource management workshops for farmers.

Organize training workshops for 100 farmers on natural resource management and sustainable land management practices based on the integration traditional and scientific knowledge. These farmers will serve as trainers of trainers for other community members in the project area. These workshops will help farmers acquire new skills and knowledge on judicious use of natural resources for sustainability, organic farming techniques, sustainable land management and assets that can be processed for income generation.


2.6 Support water management in drylands.

This involves the development of small-scale irrigation schemes managed by individuals or group of farmers based on traditional water management systems. The institutional arrangement would be communal ownership with the owners being an active and committed participant in the project design and implementation.

Output 3. One hundred (100) people trained in sustainable alternative livelihood strategies such as shea butter processing; integrated livestock/small ruminant rearing; honey production; tie-dye fabric production; sustainable woodfuel and charcoal production.

Planned Activities

3.1 Training in alternative livelihood activities

One hundred people, mostly women and youth farmers, will be trained in alternative livelihood activities such as shea butter processing, tie and dye fabric production and sustainable woodfuel and charcoal production, bee keeping, poultry and small ruminants. This will reduce pressures on the Savannah forest and therefore promoting natural regeneration, as well as diversify income sources rural communities


3.2 Identify market outlets for alternative products

New marketing outlets will be sought for the goods produced by the alternative income generating activities to facilitate access to new markets. The project will develop market information systems on prices, quality and standards for different ecosystem goods to ensure producers are aware of the quality requirements of new marketing outlets, and are up-to-date with price variations. It will also develop networks and associations of producers of alternative products to develop links with buyers and markets and to facilitate organization of and participation in promotional activities (e.g. trade fairs);

3.3 Provide revolving credit scheme as start-up funding for alternative livelihood enterprises.

A revolving credit fund will be provided for 100 project participants. Up to 20 people will be able to access the fund at any one time.

Output 4 Models, Systems and Best Practices in sustainable land management in the savannah region documented and disseminated

The project will document and disseminate knowledge on best practices and lessons learned to inform policy makers at national, regional and international levels. It will also build synergies to facilitate replication and up-scaling of successful projects and policy dialogue at the national level.