INTRODUCTION

Depletion of biodiversity in the catchment areas has been largely due to insignificant income derived from subsistence farming. Resorting to degradation by the inhabitants is done with the ultimate goal of supplementing farming income through the sale of wood and charcoal. And both animal and crop farmers to a very large extent also contribute to land degradation through overgrazing by animals and inappropriate farming methods.

It is in regard of these that appropriate interventions have been put in place to bring about a lasting and realistic solution to the problem. The interventions are holistic and engender a high degree of community ownership of the various projects being implemented under the auspices of UNOPS.

And, between the periods May of 2009 and September, 2009 the following activities were undertaken:
• Identify, train and support 20 farmers in guinea fowl poultry, production of honey and small ruminants.
• Set up community oil processing enterprise
• Develop the capacity of small producers to seize market opportunities and to build market linkages through Trade Net.

3.0 TRAINING OF 28 FARMERS IN GUINEA FAWL REARING

3.1 Background

Guinea fowl rearing could be a good source of income supplementing sale of food crops by poor rural farmers. Incidentally, majority of poor farmers keep only a handful of guinea fowls even though the vegetation and environment in which they live is very conducive for commercial production of guinea fowls. It is against this background that a conscientious effort is being made to change the mindset of farmers to refocus on guinea fowls production.

3.2Guinea Fowl Production

Training Programme

Training programmes for guinea fowl farmers are necessary so as to increase production of birds. To this end a series of training programmes were organized for farmers in all of the five communities. Topics discussed included the following:

• Disease control (prevention and cure)
• Housing
• Administering of drugs
• Feedstuffs
• The role of Veterinary Officers/Technicians
• Processing of birds


3.3.2 RESULT

During open discussions with farmers complaints of theft of birds dominated and that accounted for lack of interest in rearing of birds. Consequently, the Livelihood Support Committee promised that a team of strong, dedicated and loyal young men was needed to form a vigilante unit in each community to help combat birds and animals’ theft. It was also suggested that the vigilantes would need to be introduced to the local police for recognition, support and cooperation.

Each family promised to raise a few birds. While others decided to raise guinea fowls some also decided that raising chickens was more economical and rewarding.

3.3.1 LIVESTOCK/POULTRY

Twenty four (24) community members trained

Production of livestock is done on a limited scale. No much importance is attached to animal rearing and poultry. The table below shows the type of animals and birds raised in the area.
PRODUCTION TABLE
Type of Animals/Poultry Scale /Level
Fowls 1
Guinea fowls 2
Goats/Sheep 3
Pigs 4
Cattle 5
Ducks 6
Turkey 7
Pigeons 8

3.3.2 Legend

1-Highest produced animals
8-Least produced animals

As shown in the table above the most commonly produced animal in the community is the fowl. Almost every household rear fowls for consumption. Guinea fowls are the next most common livestock in the community.

Goats are the commonest ruminant in the community and constitute the third most common livestock in these areas. Sheep, pigs, cattle ducks, turkeys and pigeons are also prevalent.

3.3.3 Disease of Animals

The commonest diseases affecting animals are anthrax and foot and mouth disease. However, Veterinary Officers are active and provide treatment to sick animals and poultry.

PROMOTION OF Honey Production
.4.0 Introductions

As part of the project agreement this activity sought to boost the income generation power of the people in the Zukpiri communities. It is an alternative livelihood support mechanism of which fifty (50) members were trained at the Project site. Participants were trained on bee-keeping and the process of honey making and harvesting.
Mr. Mahamood Amasachina who is an expert in honey production was the resource person. Training lasted a week. He took participants through the following procedures and training exercises:

4.1 Training course:

The following topics were treated:

i What is bee-keeping?

He defined bee-keeping as the practice of semi –domesticating of bees. That is housing of bees coupled with good management practices in order to increase yield of both bees and honey and other by- products

4.2 Training and Support for Women in shea butter processing
4.2.1 Shear butter

Shear butter comes from the shea tree-Vitellaria paradoxa. The tree is not cultivated but grows in the wild. Experimental plantations have been developed by researchers with moderate successes in some parts of Northern Ghana. 84 women trained from twelve communities.




4.4.2 Uses of Shea butter

The butter is widely used for cooking by majority of people in Northern Ghana but it is also used as medicine. There is a rapid growing market in Europe for shea butter. In view of this trend there is the need to process the butter in such a way that it will meet the right specifications and quality in the export market and increase the income for rural women.


4.4.3 Training Programme

As the women already have the technique for producing shea butter it was not difficult to impart the knowledge for its production. Therefore the training was limited to improving the quality.

4.4.4 Methodology

The training programme was conducted by Business advisory board und NBSSI. The method used was simple.
Processors were asked to commence the process and complete it while they observed.
The observation revealed a lot of defects in the production process. Resource persons took the opportunity to rectify the defects. The process introduced was as follows:
• Gather the fruit when it is fully ripe. Do not cut it from the tree or shake the tree to make it fall. Wait for tit to fall as, as full ripe fruit gives the most oil.
• After removing the pulp, cook the nuts in boiling water rather than smoking them. This will improve the quality of the butter.
• Dry the nuts quickly in he sun tom prevent mould, turning them frequently.
• Sort the nuts to remove any which are black, damaged, broken, or have sprouted. Good nuts are hard, whole, clean, light brown and smell pleasant.
• Roast the nuts, making sure not to burn them.
• Process the nuts with a grinder, pestle, or between stones to produce a brown a paste.

• Add clean water and continue kneading until a cream-coloured paste forms.

• Extract the oil using a press (for the best quality butter) or by heating with water until the butter rises to the top.

• To make the melted butter clearer, add the juice from two to three lemons to 25 liters of boiling butter.

• Keep the butter in airtight containers. Fill them fully and close the containers tightly, making sure no air gap is left. Use plastic sheets as lining to help protect the butter from air and light.




4.4.5 RESULT/FEEDBACK

BAC/NBSSI confirmed the superiority of its production process over that produced by the local women by producing high quality butter which was better in terms of colour and scent

The women acknowledged that the technology taught them was good but complained that it was wasteful because rejected nuts would reduce the bulk of their product. Nonetheless, they said as long as they are assured of ready market the technology is worth trying. Consequently, the women agreed to form networks in all the communities to share ideas on this new technology and to arrive at a suitable method that would be acceptable to both the trainer and the local women.

BAC/NBSSI promised to be in close in contact with the women to ensure that quality butter is produced for high class market.

24 Trainees were later given fifty Ghana cedis each as loans by the BAC/NBSSI to improve upon their businesses for the period of twenty four months.



ii. What constitutes the bee kingdom?

The apiculturist said there are two types of bees found in every bee kingdom. That is:
a. the male- called the done and
b. female bee- also called the queen bee and or worker bee.

iii. What is a colony?

A colony was described as having the following characteristics:
• The queen to lay eggs
• Few drones consort of the queen
• Some eggs to be hatched
• Some larvae
• Domestic workers
• Foraging

iv. What is a drone?

The drone was described as:
• Stout and larger than the worker
• No proboscis for nectar collection
• No basket for pollen grain collection
• No sting for self defense
• No gland to secrete wax
• Does no work in the colony
• Eat and make loud noise
• Mate (impregnates) the queen (at nuptial flight)
• Live for about twelve to sixteen weeks

v. What is the Queen?

The features of the queen were identified as follows:
• Have shorter wings and tapering abdomen
• Have sparkling golden hair
• No sting for self defense
• No proboscis, no basket and no glands
• Goes out once in her lifetime for mating
• Lay fertile eggs (1500 – 300) daily that will hatch into worker bees

vi. What is a worker bee?

The resource person gave the characteristic of a worker bee as:
• Smallest among the three and constitute about 90% of the colony
• Has proboscis to suck nectar, juice and water
• Has two baskets for pollen grain collection
• Secretes wax for comb building
• Clean and guard the colony
• Has sting for self defense
• Feeds the queen, drone and larvae

vii Brood Development

The expert also taught participants the process of brood development as indicated below:

BROOD DEVELOPMENT
STAGE QUEEN DRONE WORKETR
Egg 3 3 3
Larvae 6 6 6
Pupa 6 – 7 15 120
TOTAL 15 – 16 24 21

viii Equipment

The entire process of bee keeping and honey production utilizes the following equipment:

• Bee hive
• Hive stand
• Smoker
• Knife/Hive Tool.
• Brush / Quill
• Suit
• Vail
• Gloves
• Wellington Boots
• Swarm catcher and
• Flash light

ix.. Types of Bee Hives

The following types of bee hives in use were explained to participants:
• Tanzanian top Bar
• Kenyan Top Bar
• Lands troth Hive
• Salt pond Hive (where emphasis was placed on)

X Establishment of an Apiary

The following factors are to be considered in the establishment of an apiary place of less human activity
• Topography
• Shade (not too much)
• For age availability
• Water source
• Good air circulation

Xi Baits for Natural colonization
• Bee wax
• Honey
• Lemon/lime
• Con dung
• Lavender
• Dried cassava powder (konkonte)
• Sugar
• Neem
• Pheromone

Xii Fuel for smoker
• Wood shavings
• Saw dust
• Dried low dung
• Fiber sack (jute)
• Dry leaves/paper

Xiii Apiary management

To manage an apiary the following procedures were suggested:
• Conduct regular monitory visits
• Ensure good sanitation
• Control pests
• Control swarming
• Strengthen weak colonies
• Feed bees
• Provide water
• Record

Xiv. Preparing for harvesting

According to the expert harvesting depends on following factors:
• Time of colonization and
• Nectar availability

He further identified the following signs to be noted:
• Building of queen and drove cell
• Smell honey when approaching the hive
• Aggressive guarding bees C
• Clustering of bees at the entrance of the hive
• Heavy hive
• Withering of flowers

In undertaking the real harvesting the underlies steps were to be followed:
• Put on protective clothing
• Get kit ready containing smoker, brush, knife and flash light
• Take rubber container
• Load your smoker
• Puff some smokes around the hive and later puff smoke at the entrance
• Open the lid
• Knock the top bar with the knife/hive tool to determine the empty side
• Remove the top bars with capped honey combs and cut in to the rubber container until you reach brood.
• Replace top bars carefully and cover with the top cover

XV. Processing of honey

The expert said there are three methods of honey processing which include:
• Centrifugal honey extraction
• Solar honey extraction
• Traditional honey extraction



XVI. Processing of wax

The following equipment was recommended for wax processing:
• Cooking pot
• Sack cloth
• A string of twine
• A stick or a discarded top bar
• A ladle
• Container to hold the wax and
• Container to mould the wax

The procedure to process wax included the following:
• Prepare fire in the same way as cooking
• Put water (depending on the quantity of combs)
• Wash crushed bee combs into the sack cloth
• Tie it with the string /twine
• Put it in the warm water
• Hold the part down the warm water with stick
• Now use the ladle to skin off the melted wax into a container. Continue this process until wax no longer appears on the surface.

5.0 Problems and Challenges

Some of the challenges that honey producers are likely to encounter include the following
• Unfavorable climatic conditions
• Natural pests that might invade hives
• Unwholesome human activities
• Credit from people

6.0 OBJECTIVES

The following objectives motivated bee keeping and honey production at the centre
• To create employment
• To make available bee products at the local markers to supplement sugar
• To increase farmers income
• To help preserve our natural environment (forests)
• To increase crop yield
• To supply medicinal needs







7.0 Benefits to Participants

Participants were trained on how to produce honey that has multipurpose uses. The Zintang Healers Association has established an apiary that is generating income for the community .Twelve bee boxes have been constructed and installed. Honey is thus produced locally, eaten as food, sold in the markets to generate income, and also as a medicinal ointment for many illnesses like asthma, arthritis, liniment, heart problems etc.

7.1 Results

A lot of employment has been generated among the people of the Zukpiri and it adjoining communities. The youth in particular are taking up the venture seriously in the area. Carpenters are also generating money from the boxes construction

7.2 Developments

Several communities are interested in the knowledge acquired to also produce honey. They want to depart from the traditional and cumbersome procedures of harvesting honey.

7.3 Remarks

This particular training was unique because it was comprehensive. All the necessary details in honey production were enhanced and the interest by community members is increased. A lot more people are going into the activity and the project only need to sustain such interest.


D. Sales promotion: this was defined as that part of marketing, which consists of those activities performed to make consumers aware of products and patronize them.

E. Marketing techniques

Participants were orientated on how to explore new markets. They were informed to identify institutions (schools), private business entrepreneurs; market days etc in the region and stimulate interest to purchase their honey, fowls, soap, shear butter, ruminants etc. They were also trained to establish good inter – personal relations with customers in order to sustain their interest and they were hook on tradnet.

Mr. Mamood Tahiru of the Business Advisory centre (BAC) of the National Board for small Scale Industries (NBSSI) treated topics relating to marketing of the produce.





7.4 Benefits to participants

• Honey and shear butter production is an alternative livelihood support for survival to women, men, Children and the general households in the following areas
• Tremendous improvement of house hold income
• Women are able to cater for children better
• Women supplement domestic financial expenditures by their male counterparts
• Women now provide decent clothing and shelter for the households
• Women command respect from their male counterparts

Hither to, these interventions were the domain of men. But because women are now contributing to the family they are respected in their respective societies

7.5 Results

Trainees have departed from the orthodox or traditional methods of harvesting and packaging honey with bare hands or manually exerting energy to process honey, thus minimizing fatigue. This led to the minimization of waste and maximization of profit, thus putting money into individually pockets. All these have been possible because GEF/SGP has funded the construction and purchase of a bee hives and harvesting materials for trainees.

8.0 New Developments

The success story of honey and shear butter processing by women in the project catchment area is spreading and many other women are prepared to adopt a more pragmatic approach to the processing in challenge of their male counterparts. Many women carry their sheanuts to Nanvile to grind thus reducing man hours.

8.1 Remarks

Women constitute very important development partners especially in rural communities. As a result if they are financially empowered, the benefits will spread to their entire households, societies at large, but children will be the most beneficial. If the tempo of this exercises is therefore sustained it will offer a valuable alternative livelihood support to many people in the traditional area.

9.0. CHALLENGES FACED DURING IMPLEMENTATION

The challenges that the project faced during this aspect of the project implementation was the enthusiastic crowd, especially the youth from other communities who wanted to be part of the activities. This is because such youth realized that there are income generating ventures like honey and sheabutter processing that can put money into their pockets and change their economic situations for the better. This when sustained can prevent the exodus of the youth drown south in search of unavailable and non-existing greener pastures. To develop such potentials are a huge job for the community.

9.1. ACTIONS TAKEN TO RESOLVE CHALLENGES

Workers at the project center once a while visit such communities to impart the skills on to them. We also invited a few to jointly participate with our participants during training programmes at the project expense.


10.0. LESSONS LEARNT

The project that GES/SGP is sponsoring is quite viable to communities in the Zukpiri and it adjoining communities. People altitudes and perceptions about environment are changing and they now know that they have to preserve it. They also appreciate the fact that the environment has to be sustained through planting trees in the natural regenerated areas. A part from this, participants know that, acquiring marketing skills, especially in the area of honey production, shear butter procession and guinea fowls rearing will boast moral of their businesses. One crucial lesson learnt by participants was the fact that they can break the poverty cycle by generating income domestically using available raw materials and talents. Participants also discovered that there are a lot of potentials that can be tapped in the environment to support economic gains.

11.0 IMPACT:

The pride of community ownership has inculcated into citizens of the Zukpiri traditional Area. They are prepared to protect environment and take care of it.

12.0 PROMOTION, PROCESSON, AND SALE OF FRUIT FROM THE WILD.
12.1 Introduction

FRUIT TREES
The savanna has not been home to citrus and other popular fruits. But it has different varieties of fruits which are noted to have lots of vitamins and minerals. The people of the savanna depend on these to supplement their vitamin needs. Unfortunately, the people have unconsciously destroyed these fruits through bush burning, thereby denying themselves of vital food nutrients. The inclusion of fruit trees in the reserves will not only provide them with vitamins but will also provide them supplementary income through the sale of fruits in the Upper West Region.

12.2 Training Programme
Target groups Hunters, Fishermen and Charcoal Burners:

As the women and the youth already have the technique for identifying various types of fruits from the reserve or wild, it was not difficult to impart the knowledge for its procession and sales. Therefore the training was limited to improving the quality, promotion, procession and market source.

12.3 Methodology
The training programme was conducted by Business advisory board and NBSSI with a resource person from Nsawam fruit procession firm. The method used was simple.
Processors were given guidelines and asked to commence the process and complete it while they observed.
The observation revealed a lot of defects in the procession procedures. Resource persons took the opportunity to rectify the defects. The process introduced was as follows:

12.4 Wild Fruit for Sale

• Gather the fruit when it is fully ripe. Cut it from the tree or shake the tree to make it fall. As full ripe fruit gives the most minerals.
• Wash them torally to do away with all forms of bacterial
• Package them nicely for local fruit juice sellers and wine processors in Wa.

12.4.1 Wild Fruit Juice for Sale
• Gather the type of fruit you want to use
• Wash them torally to remove all infectious bacterial
• Slice them with knife in to smaller pieces
• Process the fruits with a blender,
• Add clean water and continue kneading until a all the juice is scrub out of fruits ,
• Extract the juice using a press (for the best quality juice) or by blending with water until the juice rises to the top.
• Keep the juice in airtight containers. Fill them fully and close the containers tightly, making sure no air gap is left. Use plastic sheets as lining to help protect the juice from air and light.

12.4.2 RESULT/FEEDBACK

BAC/NBSSI confirmed the superiority of the fruit procession over that produced by the local women by producing high quality juice which was better in terms of colour and scent

The women acknowledged that the technology taught them was good. Nonetheless, they said as long as they are assured of ready market the technology is worth trying. Consequently, the women agreed to form networks in all the communities to share ideas on this new technology and to arrive at a suitable method that would be acceptable to both the trainer and the local women, including business partners.

BAC/NBSSI promised to be in close in contact with the women to ensure that quality juice and wine is produced for high class market.