The Minister of Food and Agriculture(MoFA) Eric Opoku, has presented a total of 1,260,482 economic tree seedlings for distribution to farmers in the Bono, Bono East and Savannah Regions under a national agroforestry initiative.
The seedlings, which include moringa, cashew and mango varieties, are expected to be distributed as follows: Bono Region will receive 511,823 seedlings, Bono East 352,135, and Savannah Region 396,524.
Speaking at a ceremony held at Nkoranza in the Bono East Region, Mr Opoku encouraged farmers to take ownership of the initiative by planting and nurturing the seedlings. He said the effort would help Ghana address climate change impacts, strengthen agricultural production and improve food security.
He explained that agroforestry has become a key strategy for transforming agriculture in a more sustainable way, adding that integrating economic trees such as cashew, mango, and moringa into farming systems would enhance productivity and long-term resilience.
According to him, the distribution forms part of Phase II of the Changing Lives Transformation Fund (CLTF) Agroforestry Carbon Credit Programme, which is being implemented in the middle belt and Savannah regions.
The programme is aimed at improving soil fertility, reducing erosion, restoring degraded lands, conserving biodiversity and creating additional income streams for farmers.
Mr Opoku stressed that the provision of seedlings should be seen as a long-term investment rather than a simple distribution exercise.
“This is not merely a donation of seedlings, but an investment in farmers, families, nutrition, climate resilience and the local economy,” he said.
He further noted that the government, through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, remains committed to supporting farmers with technical guidance, extension services, capacity building and market linkages.
He added that under the Feed Ghana Programme and the Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda, the government is focused on making agriculture more productive, profitable, resilient and attractive, particularly to women and young people.
Mr Opoku also cautioned that climate change is already having visible effects on rainfall patterns, soil fertility, crop yields and rural livelihoods, stressing the need for urgent interventions.
He called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders, saying no single institution can tackle challenges such as food insecurity, land degradation and rural poverty alone.
“We must continue to work together, pool resources, share knowledge and invest in practical interventions that directly benefit farmers,” he said.
Farmers were also urged to take full advantage of the initiative to improve their incomes and secure sustainable livelihoods for their families.
On her part, the Deputy Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Madam Anitha Narahari, said Phase II of the CLTF Agroforestry Carbon Credit Programme represents a coordinated effort to strengthen resilient livelihoods and food systems while creating long-term economic opportunities for smallholder farmers.
She disclosed that more than 7,000 additional farmers are expected to benefit from climate-resilient tree crop seedlings, adding that over three million mango, cashew and moringa seedlings will be distributed under the programme across targeted regions.
She noted that the intervention is particularly designed to support maize farmers who are highly exposed to climate shocks, erratic rainfall and declining soil fertility.
According to her, the initiative will help farming households diversify incomes, restore degraded lands and improve resilience while creating new economic opportunities.
She reaffirmed the WFP’s commitment to supporting sustainable and innovative agricultural interventions that address immediate needs while building long-term resilience for vulnerable communities.
Source: GNA
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