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Sixteen members of the National Steering Committee (NSC) and project officers of the Ghana-Dedicated Grant Mechanism (G-DGM) project have completed a five-day intensive training programme on climate change and REDD+ from 27 November to December 1, 2017. The training happened on the flanks of the second NSC meeting held in Kumasi.

The goal was to increase communities’ understanding of the linkage between their current activities and climate change, gain an appreciation of climate-smart activities and the G-DGM project as well as share and apply the knowledge in their practices.

“I attended this training with little understanding of the project and climate change”, says Grace Pokuaa, an NSC member from the Nkoranza District. “But now, I have learned that indiscriminate tree felling contributes to climate change and adversely affects crop production.”

The G-DGM seeks to promote the inclusion of 51 forest dependent communities in policy formulation and initiatives that seek to reduce deforestation and degradation. This is done through awareness creation, training in climate change and REDD+, and the provision of sub-grants to local communities for promoting adaptive and coping livelihoods, sustainable management of natural resources and to increase their capacity to adapt to climate change.

The project is unique in that it gives oversight responsibility to community representatives who constitute the National Steering Committee. With their role in reviewing work plans, community proposals and progress of activities, and promoting learning among stakeholders in communities, members of the NSC contribute to successful project outcomes that promote sustainable forest management.

“The training is an eye-opener for me, and I resolve to share the knowledge I have acquired on climate change and the DGM project with members of my community and others I represent on the National Steering Committee”, says Hayford Duodu, Chairman of the NSC.

Solidaridad West Africa is the National Executing Agency of the Ghana Dedicated Grant Mechanism, funded by the World Bank. By 2022, the project seeks to sensitize more than 11,000 adults on climate change and REDD+ and strengthen sustainable practices among forest reliant communities.

Author: : Bossman Owusu, DGM Ghana NEA, Solidaridad

Community Representatives Receive Training to Fight Climate Change