UNDFF-YenKasa Africa Radio initiative in Ghana
Ghana – URA Radio
Programme Title: Grass Briquettes Production and Sustainable Wood Fuel Value Chains in Ghana
Production Language: Gurune
Grass Briquettes technology involves transforming grasses into briquettes for clean energy, has been introduced to members of Tele-Bere located in Yarigabisi in the Bolgatanga-East District of the Upper East Region of Ghana with the aim of reducing bushfires and increasing community incomes. Bushfires have been a major challenge, especially across the fragile Northern Savanna regions, and grass briquette provides a useful avenue for reducing bushfires and their impact on these landscapes.
Tree charcoal production has been identified as an extra livelihood activity in Northern Ghana. However, unregulated and excessive production of charcoal has become a major threat in Northern Ghana. Grass briquette production offers a very useful alternative to tree charcoal which is currently being introduced by the Ghana Federation of Forest and Farm Producers (GhaFFaP) in Northern Ghana.
Programme Title: Agroecology in Practice at Gundoog in Nabdam District of Ghana
Production Language: Gurune
The biodiversity and climate crises have renewed focus on agroecology, which adopts a more holistic, nature-based approach to agriculture. Agriculture is responsible for about 20% of global greenhouse gases – we need to find different approaches to how we produce food if we are to meet our climate goals.
This discussion presents the experiences of Fuseini Bugbun, who has an agroecology demonstration farm in the village of Gundoog in the Bolgatanga-East District of Ghana. Fuseini shares with us the benefits of agroecology to the lands and benefits with respect to income generation from agroecology.
Programme Title: The Role of the Ghana Federation of Forest and Farm Producers in Achieving Climate-Resilient Landscapes in Ghana
Production Language: English
The Ghana Federation of Forest and Farm Producers is a national federation of smallholder Forest and Farm Producer Organisations with members from across three ecological zones, including the savanna, transition, and forest ecological zones. GhaFFaP currently has a membership of 17 Forest and Farm Producer Organisations with a current membership of 1.5 million smallholders. GhaFFaP working with its member Forest and Farm Organisations towards ensuring climate-resilient landscapes in Ghana.
This discussion will focus on the key activities GhaFFaP is performing, working with various stakeholders in Ghana towards the delivery of climate-resilient landscapes in Ghana.
Programme Title: Microbial Fertilizer Production and Application for Soil Fertility Enhancement
Production Language: Gurune
Microbial fertilizer contains a large number of active microorganisms, which secrete considerable enzymes during growth. At the same time, the organic matter in the fertilizer provides sufficient nutrients to promote the propagation of soil microbes.
Through the initiative of the Forest and Farm Facility Project Tele-Bere members have worked in partnership with Lifeworks Global, a UK-based charity, for capacity building on the production and application of microbial fertilizer.
This discussion explores further how microbial fertilizer can provide smallholder farmers with the opportunity to improve soil nutrient capacity and soil health, especially by making use of locally available materials.
Programme Title: Gender Dimensions in Forest and Farm Producer Organisations
Production Language: Gurune
Forest use has a strong gender dimension. In many poor forest communities, women are primary users of forests and rural landscapes, harvesting products such as fodder, fuelwood, medicines and foods. Men tend to harvest relatively high-value products such as wood and bushmeat. Women are usually also the primary caregivers: they use the products they harvest from forests to feed, shelter and heal their families and to earn income that they mostly spend on their families.
Involving women in forest-related decision-making at the community level has been shown to have positive effects on a range of forest management issues, including the regulation of illegal activities and the capacity of community groups to manage conflict. Securing women’s property rights to forests can also be a powerful incentive for their implementation of sustainable forest management (SFM), including forest conservation and other multiple-use functions of forests. In many rural landscapes and countries, therefore, greater gender equity is one of the keys to Sustainable Forests Management.