The
NRMP aims to establish and
support individual and community-based
sustainable management of
natural resources: land, water,
crops, trees, and animals.
The programme has a strong
poverty alleviation focus
and is concerned ultimately
with helping people improve
their lives through enhanced
management of natural resources.
The
SRM component is committed
to a participatory and integrated
approach. NRMP I will establish
the institutional framework
to support SRM, including
a Savanna Resource Management
Centre and a Technology &
Systems Demonstration Centre.
Reorientation of government
and NGO agencies to enable
them to better support community
actions will be a key element
of the new institutional framework.
The role of the District Assemblies
in co-ordinating, integrating
and supporting efforts of
different agencies will be
strengthened.
At
a limited number of pilot
sites, the SRM component will
work in the service of local
farmers and communities to
design and test technologies
and management systems for
improved natural resource
management. Pilots will be
established on both forest
reserves and areas outside
the reserves. The Participatory
Technology Development [PTD]
approach used during the inception
period will be adopted as
the common avenue or approach
for all community based resource
management activities. The
PTD approach will be modified
and improved by the agencies
and community members over
NRMP I. The pilots will use
the common approach to integrate
different elements of land
use and forest resource use,
including water and soil conservation,
crop production, woodfuel
production, biodiversity conservation,
medicinal plant production
and control of desertification.
Improvements
in woodfuel production and
marketing will also be pursued
and a National Action Programme
on Desertification will be
agreed. NRMP I will initiate
efforts to conserve unique
species and habitats (biodiversity)
and to maintain traditional
crop varieties, land races
and their wild varieties in
the arid and semi-arid northern
savanna zone. Actions will
be taken to promote ecologically
sound and appropriate technologies
for medicinal plant production
and local utilisation.
To
date, inception workshops
have been held for opinion
leaders, participatory development
training completed and a steering
committee established. A degree
of local influence over the
direction of the programme
has been engendered. The SRMP
will continue to pursue a
consultative and learning
approach to the evolution
of SRM. This will require
flexibility, accountability
and innovation from the Implementation
Team. The Faculty of Agriculture
of the UDS will continue to
play a key role in the SRM
programme.
The
IDA, GEF, DANIDA and the World
Food Programme will support
the SRMP. The Peace Corps,
Tree Aid and the IUCN have
also expressed interest. Links
will be established to the
FAO supported Land Use Planning
Project, the IDA supported
Village Infrastructure Project,
the regional GEF-supported
Conservation Priority Setting
Process for Upper Guinea Forest
Ecosystems in West Africa
and numerous other local initiatives.
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Objective
of SRM
An
enabling environment for poverty
alleviation activities through
local community participation
in sustainable management
of Savanna Zone natural resources,
development and utilisation
of woodland resources and
improved land management created
within the three northern
Regions.
The
main tasks to be achieved
in each of the sub-components
are briefly explained.
Additional information can
be found in the project documents
The SRMC at Tamale will be
responsible for the implementation
of this component.
Key
Performance Indicators and
Means of Verification for
SRM
Essential
Institutional Development
for SRM
A
Savanna Resources Management
Centre (SRMC) will
be established in Tamale.
The centre will work with
rural communities, government
and non-government institutions
to identify, plan and support
programmes for sustainable
resource management. Under
the direction of a Co-ordinator,
the multi-disciplinary technical
staff of the SRMC will serve
as subject matter specialists
to District Assemblies, local
communities and implementing
agencies. A priority task
for NRMP I will be to engender
a common vision of the SRM
programme and of the Centre's
role among the SRMC staff
and clients.
At
the district and resource
level, NRMP aims to establish
a new institutional framework
for SRM that will be responsive
to and supportive of community-led
initiatives. The District
Assemblies will assist teams
of local agency staff to combine
with communities to plan and
execute natural resource management
programmes. The pivotal role
of District Assemblies in
SRM has been recognised and
will be strengthened.
As
the need arises, training
programmes and other events
will be prepared to build
the capacity of local agency
staff, village teams, NGOs,
training institutions and
farmers to learn more about
traditional and enhanced methods
of SR management. Training
may be focussed on technical,
entrepreneurial or institutional
issues. Farmer to farmer learning
will be encouraged. Mechanisms
to enable community members,
traditional authorities and
district agency staff to continue
to influence and guide the
direction of the SRM component
will be put in place.
At
Walewale, a Technology and
Systems Demonstration Centre
[TSDC] will be established.
The Centre will be used for
demonstrations and training
in improved technologies and
natural resources management
systems. Botanical surveys
will be undertaken and remote
sensing imagery and historical
data analysed. A Management
Information System [SMIS]
will be installed at the SRMC.
The
sub-component will be supported
by the Natural
Resources Management Project.
Pilot
Community Based Forest Reserve
Management in the SZ
The
majority of the forest reserves
in the northern Regions were
established to provide a perpetual
supply of forest products
to the surrounding populations.
In recent times, the original
aims of reservation have been
forgotten and most forest
reserves have been tightly
patrolled by the FD in order
to maintain an exclusionist,
protective management regime.
Recognising
the essentially local value
of the forest reserves, the
government intends to withdraw
from central administration
of the northern savanna forest
reserves. NRMP I will begin
the process of developing
local capacity to manage
forest resources. In the interim
or transitional period, the
FD staff will become part
of the SRMC before eventually
joining the Natural Resource
Management Divisions of the
District Assemblies.
Based
on the results of participatory
surveys, inventories and debates,
the SRMC will support local
communities and District Assemblies
to define interventions and
prepare resource management
plans for a number of
pilot forest reserves.
The
resource management activities
that are identified will vary
from site to site but may
include: production of seedlings
from private nurseries for
rehabilitation of degraded
areas (including mining sites),
protection of headwaters and
river banks, sustainable harvesting
of forest products, the establishment
and maintenance of firebreaks
and the conservation of biodiversity.
The SRMC will assist in the
provision of training programmes
that may be identified as
essential for implementation
of the plan. The plans will
specify the local requirements
for external technical and
logistical support, if any.
Mechanisms
for determining relative logistical
inputs from communities and
from external sources will
be incorporated into the planning
process. Past experience will
be drawn on to ensure that
external resources do not
drive the programme and do
not create unnecessary dependence
on external aid packages.
District assemblies will be
expected to contribute to
the implementation of resource
management plans from the
district Common Fund.
In
order to secure sufficient
resources to implement their
programmes, some communities
may also wish to take advantage
of food aid provided
by the World Food Programme
[WFP]. The modalities for
distribution of WFP assistance
are as described in the supporting
project document. On-going
resource management activities
with local groups will also
be maintained and supported
by WFP food aid.
The
pilot programmes will be far-reaching
and will consider new ways
of designing, resourcing,
undertaking and backstopping
forest resource management
programmes. The pilots will
integrate different elements
of resource management, including
sustained production of forest
produce, environmental maintenance
and biodiversity conservation.
The
experience gained at the pilot
sites during NRMP I will be
used to prepare guidelines
on the future management of
savanna zone forest reserves,
including a Handbook on Savanna
Natural Resource Management
describing proven local and
regional technologies for
improving resource management.
The
possibility of creating new,
locally managed 'forest reserves'
in order to protect environmentally
fragile areas or areas of
high biodiversity will be
explored.
The
sub-component will be supported
by the Natural Resources Management
Project (IDA) and the programme
of Support to the SRM in the
3 Northern Regions (WFP).
Additional technical support
may be provided by the IUCN.
The activities of sub components
concerning traditional energy
and biodiversity conservation
and the SMIS activities will
be integrated with this sub-component.
Pilot
Integrated Watershed Management
Off Reserve in the SZ
One
of the most challenging tasks
for the SRMC will be to work
with farmers, families, community
groups, government and non-governmental
agencies to identify and support
local actions to improve
SRM outside the protected
areas and to establish institutional
structures to support such
initiatives. An integrated
approach will be pursued whereby
forestry, agriculture and
other land management issues
are not compartmentalised.
Working
initially on a pilot basis,
NRMP I will help local people
identify resource management
problems and possible solutions.
Through a process of joint
or collaborative planning,
concrete actions will be designed
to improve the productivity
of degraded lands. Actions
may include, bushfire control,
improved fodder production,
improved soil fertility, tree
planting, water management,
erosion control, biodiversity
conservation and income generating
schemes. The potential for
medicinal plants to be cultivated,
utilised and marketed will
be investigated.
Training
programmes and other learning
experiences for extension
agency staff and community
members will be a priority
activity. Guidelines and handbooks
will be prepared.
The
kind of technical and other
support that will be required
at each site will be described
in the community's demand-driven
resource management plans.
On-going resource management
activities will be continued
where possible, and assisted
by WFP food aid.
The
sub-component will be supported
by the Natural
Resources Management Project
(IDA) and the programme
of Support to the SRM in the
3 Northern Regions (WFP).
The activities of sub components
(d) (e) (f) (g) will be integrated
with this mainstream activity.
NRMP
I will support activities
aimed at securing a sustainable
supply of woodfuels to meet
current and future rural and
urban demand. A Traditional
Energy Unit will be
established as part of the
SRMC in order to co-ordinate
these activities. [Traditional
energy refers to fuelwood
and charcoal, renewable energy
also includes solar, wind
and hydro power].
Capacity
development in traditional
and renewable energy will
be undertaken. A National
Woodfuel Policy
will be prepared based on
the results of a series of
workshops in selected districts
with key stakeholders and
a National Woodfuels Workshop.
At the district level, capacity
building for District Assemblies
will include the preparation
of district energy profiles,
training programmes and information
systems to account for woodfuel
levy revenues. Traditional
energy issues will also be
integrated with the SMIS and
the TSDC.
To
ensure a sustainable supply
of woodfuels, efforts will
be made to develop and test
woodland and plantation models
for improved production. Woodfuel
production will be an
integral element of activities
at many on reserve and off
reserve pilots.
Improvements
in revenue generation and
woodfuel marketing.
Key activities include rationalisation
of levies, product standardisation,
review of the potential for
woodfuel auctions and improved
revenue sharing, strengthening
of woodfuel traders associations
and development of a woodfuel
market in Bolgatanga.
To
ensure more efficient use
of woodfuels (demand side
management), low cost energy
conservation measures
and improved TE technologies
will be publicised and promoted.
The
sub-component will be supported
by the Traditional
Energy Component of Danida's
Energy Sector Programme Support
(DANIDA)
A
National Action Programme
on Desertification will be
prepared, reviewed and adopted.
The draft Action Programme
will be reviewed at a series
of district, regional and
national fora before being
revised and endorsed. Based
on the agreed National
Action Programme, a series
of handouts and other materials
will be produced to ensure
extensive uptake of desertification
control measures.
The
major focus of the SRM component
of NRMP I will be the new
initiatives to be supported
by the SRMC at the various
pilot sites. Control of desertification
may be identified as a resource
management action at a number
of pilot sites. NRMP I will
facilitate District Assembly
establishment of Community
Environmental Management Committees
to support the design of desertification
control programmes at these
sites.
The
sub-component will be supported
by the Natural Resources Management Project (IDA)
Savanna
woodlands provide valuable
environmental services, are
a critical refuge for native
biodiversity and protect soil
and water resources. Future
efforts at improving crops
will need to draw heavily
on the gene pool of native/wild
crop varieties. There is an
urgent need for assessment
of the distribution and extent
of relict natural communities
and vegetation formations
within the northern SZ and
for measures to arrest degradation.
The
MLF is currently seeking GEF
assistance to support biodiversity
conservation in the northern
SZ. The aim will be to conserve
unique species and habitats,
maintain traditional crop
varieties, land races and
their wild varieties and improve
the livelihoods of communities.
NRMP I will focus on the preparation
of a programme of biodiversity
conservation for NRMP II.
A
small group of resource persons
with expertise on savanna
ecosystems will be convened
to assist the SRMC to design
strategies for baseline surveys
and data management, to assemble
best management practices
and to consider alternative
livelihood options.
Participatory
baseline surveys will be carried
out to estimate the current
baseline conditions and to
identify unique sites of global
importance for biodiversity
(both within existing protected
areas and on non-protected
lands) and areas of critical
land degradation.
The
SRMC will organise four community
based stakeholder workshops
in selected areas to provide
an opportunity for local people
to inform and influence the
direction and design of the
project. The workshops will
aim to cover geographic range,
resource types, ethnic heterogeneity,
age and gender issues in the
project area.
The
incremental costs of biodiversity
conservation will be calculated
and a project log frame prepared
as a sub-component of NRMP
II. Long term activities
in support of biodiversity
conservation in the northern
savanna zone during NRMP II
may include: bush fire control
and management of demonstration
sites, restoration of degraded
savanna areas, community based
maintenance of cultural sites
and genetic resources.
The
sub component will be supported
by the proposed GEF Grant for Biodiversity Conservation in the Northern
Savanna Zone of Ghana (GEF).
Links will be established
to the GEF supported Conservation Priority-Setting Project for the Upper Guinea
Forest Ecosystem in West Africa
being implemented by Conservation
International (CI)
and the United
Nations Development Programme
(UNDP).
Management
& Utilisation of Medicinal
Plants in the SZ
Medicinal
plants are the primary source
of free or affordable healthcare
to the majority of people
in rural Ghana. The Ministry
of Lands and Forestry is seeking
GEF assistance (see above)
to incorporate activities
concerned with conservation,
management and utilisation
of medicinal plants in the
northern regions of Ghana
into the SRMP.
A
medicinal plant/traditional
health specialist will be
appointed to the Centre. The
specialist will work closely
with staff from the Centre
for Scientific Research into
Plant Medicine and the District
Health Management Teams, Health
Post staff and traditional
healers.
During
the preparatory period for
GEF assistance (NRMP I) a
workshop for traditional
healers and medicinal plant
specialists will be held to
assist in project preparation.
Inventory and documentation
of medicinal plants in the
region will be undertaken.
A medicinal plant database
will be established. A socio-economic
survey will be carried
out at selected pilot sites
to evaluate community dependence
on medicinal plants for human
and animal health care and
income generation.
During
NRMP II, it is envisaged
that a GEF assisted project
would support pilot activities
at which community based medicinal
plant conservation, sustainable
utilisation and cultivation
practices could be developed.
For instance, control of burning
and grazing, harvesting control
measures and medicinal plant
nurseries and gardens. NRMP
II would also improve documentation
and transfer of knowledge
between the traditional healers,
mothers in home self administration,
NGOs and the public sector
Support would be given to
the establishment of medicinal
plant micro-enterprises. Due
consideration will be given
to the Convention on Biological
Diversity and the protection
of indigenous knowledge through
the adoption of a technology
transfer agreement.
The
sub component will be supported
by the proposed GEF Grant for Biodiversity Conservation in the Northern
Savanna Zone of Ghana (GEF)
Key
Performance Indicators and
Means of Verification for
SRM
The
successful outcome of this
component will be measured
by these indicators:
The
SRMC, including the TREU
established and staffed
and operating modalities
developed. Refer to NRMP
quarterly and annual reports
to verify.
Participatory
planning completed for six
community based pilots for
woodland reserve management.
Refer to NRMP reports and
supervisory mission reports
to verify.
Participatory
planning completed for 6
priority off-reserve watershed
areas in support of actions
identified by farmers and
communities. Refer to NRMP
reports to verify.
National
Woodfuel Policy prepared.
Refer to Energy Commission/MME
report on a National Woodfuels
Workshop to verify.
Woodfuel
production systems developed
and tested at pilot sites
and integrated into SRM
programmes. National woodfuel
policy. Refer NRMP reports
to verify.
National
Action Programme to Combat
Desertification planned,
discussed and endorsed by
regional and district administrations
in the three northern regions.
Refer ICR to verify.
Biodiversity
conservation programme prepared,
including medicinal plans.
Refer GEF agreements to
verify.
