2 November 2021

Proforest at CoP26 Ghana Pavilion: Showcasing Ghana's Forest Sector Climate Solutions

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Proforest at CoP26 Ghana Pavilion: Showcasing Ghana's Forest Sector Climate Solutions

The Government of Ghana will be hosting a Forestry Day at the Ghana Pavilion at CoP26 on Wednesday, November 3rd. Abraham Baffoe, Proforest Africa Director, will be on a panel with representatives from the World Bank, Ghana Cocoa Board, the Global Shea Alliance, and Tropenbos Ghana, each speaking about the role they have played in establishing the Asunafo-Asutifi Landscape Programme.

The Hon. Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minster for Lands and Natural Resources, will launch the event at 11am and provide opening remarks. John Allotey, CEO of the Ghana Forestry Commission, will provide an overview of the emissions reduction programme and the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme (GCFRP). GCFRP uses a climate-smart cocoa production strategy to reduce emissions driven by deforestation and forest degradation, while improving smallholder farmers' livelihoods through substantial yield increases. 

Asunafo-Asutifi, two cocoa-producing regions in southwest Ghana, form one of six priority Hotspot Intervention Areas identified by the Forestry Commission for its Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme. The programme has been developed by the Forestry Commission in collaboration with key landscape stakeholders and international companies sourcing cocoa from Ghana, as well as expert technical partners, including Proforest.

Proforest conducted a baseline assessment to identify the socio-economic and ecological issues in the landscape, and assessed existing interventions in the region, identifying which activities need to be scaled up or adjusted to meet the needs of the landscape. The baseline assessment informed the Management and Investment plan for Asunafo-Asutifi, which will be implemented through a governance structure, formulated through the emission reduction programme. Some actions outlined in the Management and Investment plan will need to be funded and led by the private sector, others by the government, while other activities will need involvement from civil society and communities.

Find out more about Proforest's work in Asunafo-Asutifi.