Over 30 beneficiary farmers have received alternative livelihood training under the Landscapes and Environmental Agility across the Nation (LEAN) project funded by the European Union, and implemented by EcoCare Ghana and three other organizations.
LEAN is a four-year project that aims to conserve biodiversity, build climate resilience, and reduce emissions from land-use changes in the savannah, high forest, and transition zones of Ghana. It also aims to help local farmers improve their livelihoods.
The training took place at Akomadan in the Offinso North District of the Ashanti Region. Participants were trained in snail rearing, beekeeping, small ruminant rearing, and mushroom growing.
They were also given supporting materials for each item, including pens for the animals, beehives, and work gear. Participants were selected from 28 communities in Techiman Municipal, Offinso North, and South Districts.
The training was undertaken by EcoCare Ghana to empower community members, who are predominantly food crop farmers, with other livelihood options to supplement their income. The training also helped them build resilience against climate change impacts on their crops.
Obed Owusu-Addai, Managing Campaigner at EcoCare Ghana, said in an interview that the goal of the training was to empower people to generate additional income.
“We want to empower them to get additional income,” he said. “This is part of our efforts to fight climate change.”
The District Chief Executive for Offinso North, Albert Sefa Boampong, commended EcoCare Ghana for taking the initiative to train people in other alternative livelihood ventures.
Mr. Boampong noted that the Offinso North District Assembly would collaborate with EcoCare Ghana in its efforts to empower people.
“I want to commend EcoCare Ghana for the steps they have taken to empower the people to get other alternative incomes,” he said. “I also want to take the opportunity to advise participants to make good use of the opportunity they are getting.”
A participant in the training, John Mensah, commended EcoCare Ghana for its efforts to help the environment.
“We are grateful to EcoCare Ghana for what they are doing,” he said. “They have helped us to grow more seedlings, which we distribute to people to plant to help fight climate change. Apart from this, they are training us in other business ventures. I am into beekeeping. Through their efforts, I have gained knowledge in that field.”
