World Vision has educated 14 communities in the Garu and Tempane Districts in the Upper East Region to nurture about 271.20 acres of shrubs made to become trees.
The program was in partnership with Agricultural Extension Officers who do the training for the farmers.
World Vision’s Food Security Officer for Bawku West Cluster, Justices Tiigah told Adom News that his outfit facilitates the programme and gives all the necessary equipment to the farmers while Agric Officers train them on how to prune the shrubs.
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He explained that the rate at which the land is being degraded for farming activities is having a grave impact on climate change and as an institution that cares about nature, they decided to sensitise the farmers about the need to stop cutting down trees but rather protect and prune them while still growing their crops.
He added that farmers had welcomed the idea after realizing the importance of it and they do not even wait for World Vision to give them tools; they get the tools themselves.
Justice Tiigah is very optimistic that the country will regain its lost green nature if the farmers continue that way, something that can also change the rainfall pattern in the two districts.
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Adom News Reporter Kwame Kulenu, who is with the World Vision on their tour of the Region, reports that he saw the many acres of land cultivated by the farmers in their beautiful green and natural state.
Apart from farmers being trained to protect the young trees and prune them to become bigger trees, they have also established school clubs called Regeneration Clubs to train pupils so that by the time they grow up, they would also have knowledge about the dangers of cutting down trees and desist from it.
The pupils are also expected to carry the idea to their parents.
The farmers told Adom News that they used to cut down trees because they did not know about the dangers but after the sensitisation, they have come to the realisation that they need to protect the environment.
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They further stated that when the land was bare, sunlight used to kill their animals and finding grass to feed their cattle was also a problem.
The strong winds also used to rip off their houses, but since they started planting and protecting trees five years ago, all those challenges are now over.
They have now set up community volunteers group who ensure that anyone caught cutting down a tree faces sanctions by the chief.
They expressed their gratitude to World Vision for the sensitization and assistance.