The World Vision Farmer Managed and Natural Regeneration Project (FMNR) which started two years ago at Yameriga, Tongo –beon Yindure, Wakii in the Talensi-Nabdam District has grown into a forest.

Following the success story, the project has been replicated in Gbane, Gbambeo, Wuug, Yamsowk, Santeng, Tenzug, Sawalga and Tindong.

The FMNR is a reforestation initiative that was introduced in the Talensi –Nabdam District three years ago by Tony Rinaudo of World Vision Australia.

Under the practice, no trees are planted but a farmer selects the stumps and shrubs of trees that grow naturally and prunes them, using simple tools such as an axe, sickles and machetes.

The pruning is usually done on yearly basis or two to three years. The farmer does the pruning by selecting the stumps and shrubs he or she does not want, leaving the rest to grow and they grow faster than the conventional form of tree planting.

This was made known at a workshop organised on Thursday by the Talensi –Nabdam Area Development Programme of World Vision.

The Project Manager of the FMNR, Mr. Peter Abugah, said the concept was not limited to the Talensi-Nabdam District in Ghana alone but was tried in Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali.

He said through the practice of the concept in those countries, rainfall patterns and food production have improved and increased.

Mr. Abugah said women no longer suffer or commute long distances to search for firewood.

People are able to make economic gains from the FMNR and this can be replicated in Ghana to fight desertification especially in the three northern regions, where the situation of environmental degradation is worse, he said.

Mr. Abugah said in the four communities where the project was initiated on pilot basis, people no longer complained of their animals not getting feed.

He said the community members harvest grass for roofing their houses which hitherto they could not get, they also had easy access to medicinal plants.

The District Chief Executive for the Talensi Nabdam, Mrs Vivian Anafo, expressed surprise and happiness about the area being turned into a forest within two years after practicing the FMNR, and said the practice was one of the best interventions in fighting desertification.

The stakeholders especially the chiefs pledged their commitment to the implementation of the project in their communities.

The Chief of Tengzug, Globdan Suhbazaa and the Regent of Tingdon, Dimzoya Nbil said they would commit their land and organize the people to undertake the Project.**