The Forestry Commission has announced a significant achievement in the government’s forest restoration efforts, with approximately one million forests restored across the country.
This milestone was revealed by the Executive Director of the Forest Service Division, Hugh Brown, at the launch of the Consolidated Bank Ghana Tree Planting Initiative.
According to Mr. Brown, the restoration efforts have led to increased rural employment and a boost in food crop production, including tubers, legumes, and vegetables.
He highlighted that 139,000 hectares of forest plantations have been established, 30,000 enrichment plantations undertaken, and 948,000 hectares of cocoa farms planted with trees.
The achievement, according to the Commission represents 55% of the 2030 target, with an estimated 75,000 rural jobs created annually and a contribution of close to 294,000 metric tons of food crops.
“With the support of the government, the private sector, rural communities, and NGOs, the country has established a total of 139 thousand hectares of forest plantation nationwide. 30,000 enrichment plantations have been undertaken and 948,000 hectares, mainly of cocoa farms have been planted with trees at the rate of between 18 and 21 trees per hectare. ”
“We have thus achieved a total of a million one hundred and seventeen thousand of forest restoration efforts, out of the pledged two million hectares, representing approximately 55 per cent of the 2030 target. These restoration efforts have generated rural employments for an estimated average of 75,000 yearly and contributed close to 294,000 metric tons of food crops.”
