Nature and Development Foundation (NDF) and Tropenbos Ghana (TBG) with funding from European Union had as part of its implementation projects on “Strengthening the Capacity of Non-state Actors (NSAs) to improve Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) have organised a training exercise for its monitors and farmers with the Western North Region.

The exercise was aimed at significantly to educate the farmers on the need to support the reduction in emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, whilst at the same time addressing threats that undermine ecosystem services and environmental integrity.

Mr Daniel Kofi Abu, the National Project Coordinator of Tropenbos Ghana while welcoming the participants to the training said there is an agreement with the World Bank under the reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation; as well as conservation of carbon stocks, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

The training he added was to orient the farmers to come together with the understanding of the good things that are happening in terms of planting trees, and how farmers can take opportunities of some of their happenings.

The Assistant Director of Forestry at Sefwi Wiawso also shared with the participants the available regulations and how the monitors and the farmers could work hand in hand so together with the can achieve their goal.

He took turns to explain to the participants the necessary tools available to the commission and how they can strike a positive partnership to augment the efforts being made to improve on things.

He said the system was made up of the web platform, mobile application and the transmission system.

He said thematic areas being monitored on the platform included timber harvesting, illegal farming, illegal mining, bushfire, transportation of logs and off-reserve large-scale lands.

Rhoda Donkor, from the REDD+ from the Climate Change secretariat of the Forestry Commission to the participant through the socio-economic benefits of the forest.

She demonstrated to the gathering how significant an individual institution’s role is beneficial to the collective interest of all.

She said the role of chiefs, opinion leaders, courts, the police stations, the lands commission and the fire service among others could.

The exercise drew over 100 participants from Aboboyaa, Bedii, Amafie, Nsinsem, Sayerano, Elluokrom, Kwame-Tawiah-Krom, Paboase and Datano all within the Western North Region.

In Ghana, the mechanism is being coordinated by the National REDD+ Secretariat hosted by the Forestry Commission with other stakeholders like the NDF and Tropenbos as well as MDAs, MMDAs, CSO/NGO, Local communities, Traditional Authority and Private sector.