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Our board member Wilko Brink and our chemistry advisor Carel Wreesmann are back from Ghana full of energy. They met with the bosses of the Volta River Authority and the Ghana Forestry Commission and met with our local partner. The response in Ghana has been very positive to our plan to plant 25,000 hectares of fallow land with bamboo and indigenous tree species.
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Cooperation with Volta River Authority and Ghana Forestry Commission is on the rise
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Barbarugo Foundation may start collaborating with the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Ghana Forestry Commission (GFC). A tripartite memorandum of understanding will soon be signed to this end.
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Since 2019, the VRA and the FC have been working together and planting bamboo to clearly mark the demarcation line of the buffer zone around the lake at 85 meters above sea level around Lake Volta. The buffer zone can be used if Lake Volta, which is a large reservoir for the hydropower plant in Akosombo, is completely flooded after the rainy season. So far, 240 hectares of bamboo have been planted in collaboration between the VRA and the GFC. Barbarugo plans to work with the VRA and the FC to add at least 25,000 hectares. To do this, Barbarugo is looking for an external financier who is interested in the CO₂ rights that can be linked.
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Besides making a clear demarcation visible, it is expected that erosion of the banks of Lake Volta will be stopped and more water loss through evaporation can be prevented.
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How does this benefit the local population?
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When we plant 25,000 hectares of a forest of bamboo mixed with native tree species over the next few years, we naturally want to involve the local population.
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The local population will soon be involved in planting and irrigating the trees and bamboo and will be trained in clump management and mixed cropping techniques.
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The consulting firm MDF, with branches in the Netherlands and Ghana, among other countries, will map out the socio-economic effects and biodiversity improvements for us.
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The photo above shows how motivated the members of the women's groups our cooperation partner has formed are. This lady walks at least a kilometer with a 25 liter jerry can of water (25 kg) on her head from the river to the young bamboo planting. Respect! Meanwhile, thanks to donors, we have also purchased several water pumps. These women deserve this. The pumps allow them to handle larger plots in places where water is available.
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At the Tamde dam near the town of Garu in northern Ghana, we are working with the local women's group to prepare what they have christened a "climate smart agriculture" project. We are helping with bamboo and mix cropping training. The bamboo when grown will serve as windbreaks and shade plants for other crops such as onions, peppers, cassava and the like. We strongly believe in this approach. The crops make the plantation frequenty visited because they can be harvested within the year, while at the same time providing irrigation for the young bamboo. Once the bamboo is large and strong enough after a few seasons, the prunings can serve as firewood or compost.
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A total of 42 women have been selected for the Garu women's group. Barbarugo Ghana is training them on-the-job. The pictures give an impression of the surroundings, you can see the first work meeting under a shea tree, the construction of a separation to keep the cattle away from the planting, and the bamboo supplied by our nursery in Oda, Planting new trees is very necessary. Due to poverty and the need for firewood for cooking, the last remaining, precious shea trees are also being increasingly cut down.
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In order to properly instruct the women's groups, our Diana herself goes on regular training courses.
This Center for Ecological Agriculture cooperates with ELPG and Wilde Ganzen, among others.
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We are short of bamboo cuttings in Garu
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Don't worry, our nursery in Oda comes to the rescue. Over 100 bamboo cuttings are quickly sent north. First by bus to Accra and then by small cab to Garu.
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As always, you may contribute directly to us on bank account NL05RABO 0174 9693 41 in the name of Barbarugo Foundation. Thank you.
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