Promotion of bio-energy technology, and community investments in alternative biomass resources for sustainable energy generation, and reforestation of degraded lands to reduce carbon emissions in Sabiye, and Boase farming communities within the Banda District
Situational Analysis of Problems to be addressed
The Sabiye, and Boase are mostly farming communities in the Banda District. They cultivate mostly yam and rely heavily on woodfuel production for thier livelihood and for their energy needs accounting for over 90% of all their energy sources as evidenced by a large fleet of vehicles transporting charcoal from the vicinity of the local communities. This has triggered a vicious cycle of deforestation and land degradation in the hinterlands. As a result, the Banda District has suffered devastating vegetation transition and energy deficits over the past years partly because of this heavy dependence on woody forests. Low agro-productivity resulting from excessive land degradation has also been a leading cause of poor economic returns from small-holder farming within the District.
In these communities firewood is the preferred form of domestic energy, largely because it does not require complex and expensive equipment. In addition, it can be procured often at no greater cost than collecting and preparing it. The technology used in carbonating wood iv rudimentary and highly inefficient. The wood recovery rate is 20%. In spite of the inefficiencies woodfuel production is very lucrative because the economic value of the wood is zero. It has become the survivalists’ strategy. Most young men and women get into the charcoal production to raise capital or money to pay school fees. The results have been fast depletion of valuable tree specie
PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND EXPECTED RESULTS
The project’s overall objective is to develop the capacities of targeted farming communities to adapt and invest in agro-ecological farming practices by integrating bamboo cultivation with tree growing, food/cash crop cultivation, animal rearing and sustainable woodfuel production for poverty reduction and environmental sustenance.
The specific objectives are:
(1) To develop the capacities of local famers in Boase and Sabiye to establish model agro-ecological farms by integrating organic food/cash crop cultivation, with the cultivation of different species of bamboo, tree growing under agroforestry schemes and animal rearing for compost preparation;
(2) To support local champions (farmers) to invest in sustainable bamboo agro-forestry, and small-scale private bamboo firewood
(3) To provide technical support to woodfuel producers to establish and invest in micro/small scale business enterprises to process wood/bamboo utilizing improved carbonization technology utilizing metal kilns.
Specific objectives 1 & 2 will address action under GEF/SGP OP6 Component 1& 2 to promote Community Landscape Conservation and Climate-smart agroecology by ensuring that a long-term bamboo resource base for firewood and charcoal production exists in the project communities. The bamboo species to be promoted are Dendrocalamus asper, Bambusa blumeana; Bambusa balcooa (bema)
Specific objective 1 will also address action to promote capacity development and knowledge management by creating institutional support systems for bamboo to be adopted as a sustainable energy option, through capacity building and awareness raising activities. This objective will be achieved via effective gender mainstreaming for bamboo to be adopted as a sustainable biomass energy option, marketing strategy to promote production and consumption of bamboo firewood and charcoal, and the creation of village level associations of MSEs committed to replacing wood with bamboo for charcoal production
Specific objective 3 will address action under GEF OP6 Component 3 Low Carbon Energy Access Co-benefits by developing a small-scale private sector bamboo firewood and charcoal processing enterprise during a two-year period to ensure an appropriate supply for target populations. At present, local households and wood charcoal MSEs in the Banda District lack the capacity, equipment and knowledge to use bamboo effectively for firewood and for producing charcoal. This objective will be achieved through capacity building and marketing mechanisms aimed at increasing production and consumption of bamboo for firewood and charcoal production. In achieving this objective, at least 2,000 households will use bamboo for firewood, with at least 200 MSEs in Ghana replacing bamboo for wood in charcoal production.
1.5 Expected Output/Results
? Twenty local farmers from Boase and Sabiye constituted into groups and supported to establish 10 ha model agro-ecological farms which integrate food/cash crop farming, with the cultivation of different species of bamboo and trees under agroforestry practices and animal rearing under organic agriculture on marginal lands within the landscape.
? Twenty champion-farmers from Boase and Sabiye supported to invest in at least 10 ha of bamboo agro-forestry as small-scale private bamboo woodfuel plantations.
? One micro/small scale business enterprise established in Boase to process wood/bamboo utilizing improved carbonization technology with efficient marketing outlets.
1.4 DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES
Output 1:
Twenty local farmers each from Boase and Sabiye constituted into groups to establish 5 ha model agro-ecological farms which integrate food/cash crop farming, with the cultivation of different species of bamboo and trees under agroforestry practices and animal rearing under organic agriculture on marginal lands within the landscape.
Planned Activities
The project will begin with the formation of a seven member project management team in each community (Boase and Sabiye). The Team will be made up of representative of the Chiefs, Farmers, Youth Groups, Women, and Woodfuel producers. Two training workshops will be organized to orient the Teams on their functions. The project management team will conclude negotiations with the chiefs for the release of land for the establishment of the model agro-ecological farms. Two model farms each measuring 5 ha would be acquired after the necessary soil testing and site analysis has been made. The benefit sharing agreements will be reached and necessary indentures signed.
The project management team will educate and advertise for interested community members to register. Each registered member will sign to participate in the project under agreed conditions of service. Once the land has been acquired and groups formed and oriented, the project will be launched.
The project will liaise with the District Ministry of Food and Agriculture to initiate training for the selected farmers on agroecology, agroforestry and climate smart agriculture principles. The project will provide support land preparation and acquisition of seeds and seedlings. Each farmer will be required to make an animal pen for the supply of improved species of goats and fowls and would be taught how to use their droppings plus farm and domestic waste to prepare compost for the agroforestry farms. The project will establish two tree nurseries in Boase and Sabiye to produce tree seedlings.
Output 2:
Twenty champion farmers from Boase and Sabiye supported to invest in at least sustainable 100 ha of bamboo agro-forestry and small-scale private bamboo woodfuel plantations
Planned Activities
The project management team will screen and register 40 farmers from the project area who are interested to invest bamboo agroforestry farms and woodfuel plantation. Each farmer will show evidence of land ownership arrangements. The beneficiaries would be put into trust groups of 10 each group will be encouraged to start village saving scheme as a way of mobilizing internally generated capital for investment. The farmers would be supported with seedlings and technical advice on the establishment and maintenance of the bamboo plantations. Each champion farmer would be given the necessary extension services on the agronomic practices of bamboo plantation and agroforestry practices.
Output 3:
Two micro/small scale business enterprise established in Boase and Sabiye to process wood/bamboo utilizing improved carbonization technology with efficient marketing outlets.
Planned activities
The project will mobilize the woodfuel operators to form two micro/small scale business enterprises. Membership will be voluntary, but members must be people who are already investing in woodfuel production. They would be registered and made to make financial contributions to the establishment of the enterprise. The enterprise will be registered with the national Board for small scale industries. The project will assist them to acquire metal kilns for wood carbonization. They would be taught the rudiments of carbonization using the improved technologies. Initially they will carbonize the local species of wood but will shift to the bamboo when they are matured. The project will assist them to develop market links with the existing charcoal buyers.
The Sabiye, and Boase are mostly farming communities in the Banda District. They cultivate mostly yam and rely heavily on woodfuel production for thier livelihood and for their energy needs accounting for over 90% of all their energy sources as evidenced by a large fleet of vehicles transporting charcoal from the vicinity of the local communities. This has triggered a vicious cycle of deforestation and land degradation in the hinterlands. As a result, the Banda District has suffered devastating vegetation transition and energy deficits over the past years partly because of this heavy dependence on woody forests. Low agro-productivity resulting from excessive land degradation has also been a leading cause of poor economic returns from small-holder farming within the District.
In these communities firewood is the preferred form of domestic energy, largely because it does not require complex and expensive equipment. In addition, it can be procured often at no greater cost than collecting and preparing it. The technology used in carbonating wood iv rudimentary and highly inefficient. The wood recovery rate is 20%. In spite of the inefficiencies woodfuel production is very lucrative because the economic value of the wood is zero. It has become the survivalists’ strategy. Most young men and women get into the charcoal production to raise capital or money to pay school fees. The results have been fast depletion of valuable tree specie
PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND EXPECTED RESULTS
The project’s overall objective is to develop the capacities of targeted farming communities to adapt and invest in agro-ecological farming practices by integrating bamboo cultivation with tree growing, food/cash crop cultivation, animal rearing and sustainable woodfuel production for poverty reduction and environmental sustenance.
The specific objectives are:
(1) To develop the capacities of local famers in Boase and Sabiye to establish model agro-ecological farms by integrating organic food/cash crop cultivation, with the cultivation of different species of bamboo, tree growing under agroforestry schemes and animal rearing for compost preparation;
(2) To support local champions (farmers) to invest in sustainable bamboo agro-forestry, and small-scale private bamboo firewood
(3) To provide technical support to woodfuel producers to establish and invest in micro/small scale business enterprises to process wood/bamboo utilizing improved carbonization technology utilizing metal kilns.
Specific objectives 1 & 2 will address action under GEF/SGP OP6 Component 1& 2 to promote Community Landscape Conservation and Climate-smart agroecology by ensuring that a long-term bamboo resource base for firewood and charcoal production exists in the project communities. The bamboo species to be promoted are Dendrocalamus asper, Bambusa blumeana; Bambusa balcooa (bema)
Specific objective 1 will also address action to promote capacity development and knowledge management by creating institutional support systems for bamboo to be adopted as a sustainable energy option, through capacity building and awareness raising activities. This objective will be achieved via effective gender mainstreaming for bamboo to be adopted as a sustainable biomass energy option, marketing strategy to promote production and consumption of bamboo firewood and charcoal, and the creation of village level associations of MSEs committed to replacing wood with bamboo for charcoal production
Specific objective 3 will address action under GEF OP6 Component 3 Low Carbon Energy Access Co-benefits by developing a small-scale private sector bamboo firewood and charcoal processing enterprise during a two-year period to ensure an appropriate supply for target populations. At present, local households and wood charcoal MSEs in the Banda District lack the capacity, equipment and knowledge to use bamboo effectively for firewood and for producing charcoal. This objective will be achieved through capacity building and marketing mechanisms aimed at increasing production and consumption of bamboo for firewood and charcoal production. In achieving this objective, at least 2,000 households will use bamboo for firewood, with at least 200 MSEs in Ghana replacing bamboo for wood in charcoal production.
1.5 Expected Output/Results
? Twenty local farmers from Boase and Sabiye constituted into groups and supported to establish 10 ha model agro-ecological farms which integrate food/cash crop farming, with the cultivation of different species of bamboo and trees under agroforestry practices and animal rearing under organic agriculture on marginal lands within the landscape.
? Twenty champion-farmers from Boase and Sabiye supported to invest in at least 10 ha of bamboo agro-forestry as small-scale private bamboo woodfuel plantations.
? One micro/small scale business enterprise established in Boase to process wood/bamboo utilizing improved carbonization technology with efficient marketing outlets.
1.4 DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES
Output 1:
Twenty local farmers each from Boase and Sabiye constituted into groups to establish 5 ha model agro-ecological farms which integrate food/cash crop farming, with the cultivation of different species of bamboo and trees under agroforestry practices and animal rearing under organic agriculture on marginal lands within the landscape.
Planned Activities
The project will begin with the formation of a seven member project management team in each community (Boase and Sabiye). The Team will be made up of representative of the Chiefs, Farmers, Youth Groups, Women, and Woodfuel producers. Two training workshops will be organized to orient the Teams on their functions. The project management team will conclude negotiations with the chiefs for the release of land for the establishment of the model agro-ecological farms. Two model farms each measuring 5 ha would be acquired after the necessary soil testing and site analysis has been made. The benefit sharing agreements will be reached and necessary indentures signed.
The project management team will educate and advertise for interested community members to register. Each registered member will sign to participate in the project under agreed conditions of service. Once the land has been acquired and groups formed and oriented, the project will be launched.
The project will liaise with the District Ministry of Food and Agriculture to initiate training for the selected farmers on agroecology, agroforestry and climate smart agriculture principles. The project will provide support land preparation and acquisition of seeds and seedlings. Each farmer will be required to make an animal pen for the supply of improved species of goats and fowls and would be taught how to use their droppings plus farm and domestic waste to prepare compost for the agroforestry farms. The project will establish two tree nurseries in Boase and Sabiye to produce tree seedlings.
Output 2:
Twenty champion farmers from Boase and Sabiye supported to invest in at least sustainable 100 ha of bamboo agro-forestry and small-scale private bamboo woodfuel plantations
Planned Activities
The project management team will screen and register 40 farmers from the project area who are interested to invest bamboo agroforestry farms and woodfuel plantation. Each farmer will show evidence of land ownership arrangements. The beneficiaries would be put into trust groups of 10 each group will be encouraged to start village saving scheme as a way of mobilizing internally generated capital for investment. The farmers would be supported with seedlings and technical advice on the establishment and maintenance of the bamboo plantations. Each champion farmer would be given the necessary extension services on the agronomic practices of bamboo plantation and agroforestry practices.
Output 3:
Two micro/small scale business enterprise established in Boase and Sabiye to process wood/bamboo utilizing improved carbonization technology with efficient marketing outlets.
Planned activities
The project will mobilize the woodfuel operators to form two micro/small scale business enterprises. Membership will be voluntary, but members must be people who are already investing in woodfuel production. They would be registered and made to make financial contributions to the establishment of the enterprise. The enterprise will be registered with the national Board for small scale industries. The project will assist them to acquire metal kilns for wood carbonization. They would be taught the rudiments of carbonization using the improved technologies. Initially they will carbonize the local species of wood but will shift to the bamboo when they are matured. The project will assist them to develop market links with the existing charcoal buyers.
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Project Snapshot
Grantee:
Bright Generation Community Foundation
Country:
Ghana
Area Of Work:
Biodiversity
Land Degradation
Land Degradation
Grant Amount:
US$ 26,800.00
Co-Financing Cash:
US$ 41,000.00
Co-Financing in-Kind:
US$ 40,000.00
Project Number:
GHA/SGP/OP6/Y2/CORE/BD/2016/003
Status:
Satisfactorily Completed
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Project Characteristics and Results
Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
All the beneficiaries are indigens and the establishment of the bamboo plantation was done on the individual farms
Inovative Financial Mechanisms
Capacity building and awareness raising activities
Local charcoal producers trained in modern charcoal technologies
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Indicators
Biophysical
Number of globally significant species protected by project
3
Biophysical
Hectares of globally significant biodiversity area protected or sustainably managed by project
10
Biophysical
Number of innovations or new technologies developed/applied
2
Empowerment
Number of CBOs / NGOs participated / involved in SGP project
3
Empowerment
Number of CBOs / NGOs formed or registered through the SGP project
1
Empowerment
Number of women participated / involved in SGP project
25
Biophysical
Hectares of degraded land rest
50
Biophysical
Hectares of land sustainably managed by project
50
Biophysical
Number of local policies informed in land degradation focal area
1
Livehood
Increase in household income by increased income or reduced costs due to SGP project
60
Livehood
Number of households who have benefited* from SGP project
60
SGP Country office contact
Dr. George Buabin Ortsin
Phone:
233-242-977980
Email:
Ms. Lois Sarpong
Phone:
+233 505740909
Email:
Address
UNDP, Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme P.O. Box 1423
Accra, Greater Accra, 233-302
Accra, Greater Accra, 233-302
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