The European Union (EU) and two local partners have launched the Ghana Forest Restoration Grant Scheme at the Subri River Forest Reserve at Sekyere Krobo in the Daboase District of the Western Region.
The initiative, which has the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Forestry Commission as partners, showcased significant early gains in the country’s flagship forest restoration initiative, reaffirming a commitment to recovering degraded forest landscapes while improving rural livelihoods.
The event brought together government officials, traditional authorities, local community members, environmental partners, and participating grant beneficiaries.
The Head of Co-operation at the EU in Ghana, Sylvia Severi, at the launch of the initiative described the event as a significant national moment during which Ghanaians across all 16 regions came together to celebrate the country's natural heritage and reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable land management.
She said the initiative built on the success of the annual Green Ghana Day, which focused on sustained tree survival, community ownership, and long-term ecological restoration.
Background
Beneficiaries selected to receive the grants were led by Proforest, World Vision, Nature and Development Foundation, and Goshen Global Vision.
Each NGO is working with a local community partner to deliver the project activities.
Overall, the projects are targeting to restore 14,000 hectares of forest and build the capacity of 20,000 farmers and rural people, with a strong focus on empowering women and youth.
She said the Ghana Forest Restoration Grant Scheme funded by the EU and implemented by the European Forest Institute (EFI) through the EU Sustainable Forest and Cocoa Programme was designed to work closely with communities, build on local knowledge and participation and that the project aimed to restore more than 14,000 hectares of degraded land across the High Forest and Savanna ecological zones through a combination of community-driven agroforestry, natural regeneration and tree planting.
Support
Ms Severi said, “The EU support for these projects is part of our broader EU Sustainable Forest and Cocoa Programme, a €6 million (GHs 80 million) initiative to promote deforestation-free cocoa production, sustainable land use, and climate resilience."
The Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, said, “These projects are not only restoring landscapes, but they are also supporting communities to build sustainable futures.”
By creating new livelihood opportunities and strengthening local capacities, Mr Nelson said, it would ensure that restoration efforts delivered lasting benefits on the ground.
For her part, the Executive Director of Goshen Global Vision, Ms Mary Perpetua Kwakuyi, said: “These projects are proof that sustainable, resilient forests can only be built through collective action, bringing together government, civil society and local communities united by this common goal.”
