By Alex Baah Boadi, GNA
Sefwi-Wiawso (WN/R), Aug. 26, GNA – Rainforest Alliance has engaged stakeholders on a new project dubbed: “Data landscape gap analysis and action plan,” aimed at bridging the gap in the data collection management system to improve farming and afforestation.
The programme, with support from the World-Wide Fund, was held under the European Union Landscape and Environmental Agility across the Nation (EU-LEAN) Project, to build the capacity of the beneficiaries to accelerate jurisdiction sourcing approaches.
Mr Kwadwo Nti Baniako, the Manager, Landscape and Community Project Coordinator, said since the inception of the project, it had introduced some complementary initiatives to address drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, share experiences, support capacity building, provide technical assistance and mobilise resources.
The EU-LEAN project had the objective to directly support national efforts to conserve biodiversity, and improve livelihood of smallholder farmers, while implementing integrated landscape through functional and sustainable governance structures.
Mr Baniako said the project had an overarching goal to increase capacity in developing countries to collect the data needed to help reduce deforestation and forest degradation.
He mentioned improved ecosystem, human well-being, governance and increased productivity as some of the pillars of the project.
He advised farmers, especially cocoa farmers, to take their livelihood programmes seriously so as not to depend solely on income from their cocoa production.
Mr Kevin Natey, Senior Associate at Rainforest Alliance, said data keeping had always been a challenge, since some institutions had different data at the district and national levels and prayed that the new project would help address those lapses and secure accurate data in the country.
The stakeholders were from the Forestry Commission, Cocobod, Lands Commission, DOSVU, Social Welfare, and Environmental Protection Agency, among others.
GNA
