The World Vision Farmer Managed and Natural Regeneration Project (FMNR) that commenced two years ago in the Talensi-Nabdam District of the Upper East Region, has been extended to cover other districts in the Region.

The beneficiary districts are the Kassena-Nankana West, Garu-Tempane, and Bawku West and are being supported by World Vision Australia.

Under the FMNR, the farmers are given stumps and shrubs to cultivate in a view to improving the vegetation cover of the area.

Madam Benedicta Pealore, the Operation Base Team Leader of World Vision in charge of Upper East, launched the Project at separate functions at the Garu-Tempane, Bawku West and Kessena Nankana West Districts.

It attracted chiefs, Assembly Members, Religious leaders, members of security agencies, staff of Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ghana Fire Service.

She indicated that the success of the project in the Talensi-Nabdam District had propelled the donor, World Vision Australia to extend it to the other Districts in the Region.

She said FMNR was one of the best interventions that could be used to curb desertification and other environmental degradation issues in the country, stressing that it had been tried and tested in the countries such as Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad and proved to have enormous benefits.

She appealed to the Assemblies and community members, particularly chiefs to see the project as their own and protect it.

Mr. Norbert Baba Akolbila, Manager, Talensi Nabdam District World Vision Area Development Programme, mentioned some of the benefits that could be accrued from the FMNR as easy access to fuel wood, increase in crop yields and provision of shade and enhanced soil fertility.

”Just after two years of piloting the FMNR in the selected communities, animals get enough fodder to feed on, people can get grass to roof their houses, Medicinal plants are now available, women no longer commute long distances to search for fuel wood. The soil has also become rich in nutrients".**