Climate Change Project In WMDA Supports Alternative Livelihood Options

By Joseph Ziem

Many environmentalists have in recent times contended that in the wake of climate change or global warming with its accompanying debilitating effects on agriculture, farmers should adapt to ruminants’ production as a measure to supplement food requirements in their households since the effects of climate change on animal production is lesser as compared to crop farming.

It is therefore, not surprising that a climate change project being implemented in the West Mamprusi District Assembly (WMDA) in the Northern Region of Ghana to combat deforestation and desertification effects, has introduced what it call “Alternative Livelihood Options” intended to assist communities engaged in the project through ruminant production.

With a grant of GH¢80,000.00 from the Hanns Seidel Foundation, a German non-governmental organisation, the Assembly has since last year undertaken series of reforestation programs as part of the project implementation in Zua and Mishio, two communities located along the White Volta River of the West Mamprusi District. 

The focus of these activities were intended to increase tree population to combat desertification, protecting the White Volta River and further contribute to the global efforts in the fight against climate change in the district. 

As part of the initiative, the two communities were mobilized to undertake the creation of tree nursery to grow tree plants, planting, watering and protecting the trees planted along the White Volta River to serve as a shield to the 50 meter buffer zone required by law along every river bank.

However, one component of the project implementation plan stipulates that members of the two communities’ who are directly involved in the above activities should be supported with some form of environmentally friendly alternative livelihood activity:

1.   

 As West Mamprusi District project participation incentive to compensate for their whole time and resources devoted in the execution of the project

2. As suitable alternative livelihood activity that would reduce they (community members) over-dependency on the natural vegetation, recognizing the fact that the depletion of the natural vegetation is directly linked to the survival of the community members.  

In an interview with the Project Officer, Issifu Sulemana, he told this writer that members of the two communities would be supported with Ten Thousand and Sixty Ghana cedis (GH¢10,060.00) from the GH¢80,000.00 project fund. 

According to him, the amount would be used to purchase and transport livestock such as goats and sheep and given to the people to enable them become food sufficient and financially independent. 

The activity targets all community members made up of farmers who farm along the river banks, fishermen, as well as women and men actively involved in the project implementation, he stressed. 

The objective of this activity, Mr. Sulemana explained, is also to support committed community members in goat and sheep production to enable them supply farmyard manure to feed an organic agriculture programme to be introduced in the two communities.

A ten (10) member committee made up of five women and five men would be charged with the responsibility of procuring local breeds of promising high rate returns, under the close supervision of project supervisors.

The animals would be distributed to the people to take home and take good care of them under an intensive care system so as not to let them loose and destroy the very reforestation project being implemented in their communities.

The capacity of these beneficiaries would also be built on the basic principles of animal management/husbandry. An estimated 60 individuals, 30 from each community are expected to benefit from the package as against 40 originally planned, Mr. Sulemana disclosed.

The increased in the number, according to the Project Officer, is due to the fact that more community members showed interest and demonstrated their commitment. Adding that, each person would be entitled to two female and one male animal making it a total of three. 

The selection criteria Mr. Sulemana explained would be based on commitment to work throughout the project implementation. Gender consideration as a criterion would be strictly adhered to, to ensure that the package benefits both men and women equally.