EcoCare-Ghana, a rights-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting communities in forest fringe areas, has emphasized the need for increased enforcement of anti-bush burning laws to safeguard Ghana's green cover.
Ms. Vassileva Alorvor of EcoCare-Ghana highlighted the vulnerability of Ghana's transition zone to rampant wildfires and deforestation, largely attributable to human activities, compounded by extreme temperatures exacerbated by climate change.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Techiman, Bono East Region, Ms. Alorvor stressed the destructive impact of uncontrollable bushfires on farmlands, soil microorganisms, and soil fertility, posing threats to food security through land degradation.
The interview followed a two-day sensitization program on environmental bylaws and sustainable land management under the Landscape and Environmental Agility across the Nation (LEAN) project. Ms. Alorvor emphasized the importance of enacting and enforcing environmental protection bylaws, coupled with sensitization efforts, to achieve sustainable landscape management at the local level.
EcoCare-Ghana employs practical strategies to address environmental challenges, advocating for integrated land management and climate risk mitigation. Capacity-building initiatives for farmers focus on boundary planting to prevent wildfires, mulching for soil moisture conservation, and improved planting techniques.
Seventy farmers and land management officers participated in the LEAN project's bushfire laws sensitization program, which aims to contribute to biodiversity conservation, improve smallholder livelihoods, enhance climate change resilience, and reduce emissions from land use changes in selected communities.
Legal practitioner Mr. Amadu Bermah Suleman urged participants to adhere to bylaws to protect the environment and prevent litigations. Participant Madam Grace Yaa Anane from Nkwaeso community called for continuous training to reinforce environmental protection awareness.
The call to abide by enacted bylaws resonates as a crucial step towards ensuring a safe and clean environment for all stakeholders, reinforcing the importance of collective efforts in environmental preservation.
