Sustainability success stories from Ghana

Plant a tree, green the earth 

The Green Ghana project is a national afforestation/reforestation program to restore the lost forest cover in Ghana and contribute to the global effort to mitigate climate change. 

The first edition of the Green Ghana initiative took place on June 11th 2021, during which trees were planted in galamsey-prone areas. Since then, ECOM has participated in this initiative to protect and preserve Ghana's forest cover. 

The project organizers hold annual events, and this year the theme was "Our Forests, Our Health". As part of our commitment to sustainability, trees like Odum, Mahogany, and Sapele were planted in places like Mamponteng, Kenyasi, and Abira in the Ashanti region, as well as Accra Girls' Senior High School in the Greater Accra region of Ghana.

We will continue to devote resources and attention to the Green Ghana project, and also continue to focus on the trees that have already been planet in order to restore the landscapes. 

Additional livelihood program

ECOM Ghana launched the additional livelihood program initiative in 2016 to help farmers during the lean cocoa season. Through this effort, which was initiated to supplement farmers' incomes through income diversification, many farmers' profits have improved significantly. One of our farmers, Twene Daniel, has seen a sharp increase in revenue of more than GH12,300.00 (USD 1,040) during the past year. 

Before joining ECOM Ghana as a farmer, Twene Daniel, a Tepa district beneficiary, recalls not knowing what additional livelihood activity involved. He states that cocoa cultivation accounted for the majority of his entire income, making it hard for him to support his family of five and work on personal projects. When starting to work with ECOM, Stephen Nkum, the SMS Field Coordinator Trainee and a field officer were able to introduce him to the additional livelihood program, focusing on cabbage cultivation. Daniel recalls observing that the first attempt at growing cabbage was a success, "I planted cabbage on 0.49 hectares of land and received over 25 sacks (4200kg) of cabbage worth over GH10,300.00 (USD871)". 

Like this, Daniel stated that it would help him invest more in his cocoa farming while covering his children's school tuition. He also disclosed that he will use some of the proceeds to fast-track his building project. 

Daniel expressed gratitude to ECOM Ghana management for launching this initiative and applauded the field team for their ongoing training on how to nurse the cabbage seeds and embark on regular visits to ensure that his cabbage farm was on track and, more importantly, getting to the market with a good price for him. 

Articles by: Anna Yayrea Ademadjiku