Tree Aid Ghana Tiisi Tenga: Carbon Mission to Restore Degraded Lands and Boost Climate Resilience

Introduction

In the face of escalating climate change impacts in northern Ghana, Tree Aid Ghana has launched the Tiisi Tenga carbon mission, a transformative initiative aimed at reviving degraded lands through sustainable agroforestry practices. Dubbed “Land of Trees” in local language, this project targets 200,000 hectares across 20 communities, primarily along the White Volta River in the North East Region and parts of the Upper East Region. By integrating tree planting with farming, Tiisi Tenga seeks to sequester approximately 3.4 tonnes of carbon per hectare while building community resilience, improving food security, and restoring soil fertility.

This effort addresses critical challenges like land degradation, erratic rainfall, and excessive heat affecting farmers. As Robert Atawura, Country Programmes Manager for Tree Aid Ghana, explained during community validation workshops, the mission promotes agroforestry systems that balance environmental conservation with social and economic benefits. Currently in its first phase, the project has already seen the planting of 370,000 trees across 1,000 hectares in four initial communities: Kurugu, Kparikpiri, Kpatusi, and Gbeo in the West Mamprusi Municipality.

Analysis

The Tiisi Tenga carbon mission exemplifies a holistic approach to land restoration in Ghana, where agroforestry serves as the cornerstone for carbon sequestration and sustainable agriculture. Agroforestry, defined as the intentional integration of trees into agricultural landscapes, enhances biodiversity, stabilizes soils, and captures atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) through photosynthesis and biomass accumulation.

Project Scope and Targets

Spanning 200,000 hectares, the initiative focuses on degraded farmlands vulnerable to climate variability. Initial efforts target 3,200 hectares across 20 communities, with tree species such as cassia, mahogany, teak, mango, cashew, and shea selected for their adaptability, economic value, and carbon storage potential. These multipurpose trees provide timber, fruits, nuts, and shade, directly benefiting farmers while contributing to long-term carbon sequestration estimated at 3.5 metric tonnes of CO2 per hectare over 40 years.

Implementation Strategies

Tree Aid Ghana employs community-driven methods, including seedling propagation, planting on communal and private lands, and post-planting care. During the dry season, interventions like tree irrigation, fire belt creation, and formation of tree protection groups ensure high survival rates. This participatory model involves chiefs, landowners, and households from the outset, fostering ownership and sustainability.

Validation and Monitoring

Community validation workshops, as highlighted by Atawura, verify social and biodiversity impact assessments. These sessions align project actions with local priorities and review draft legal agreements to secure long-term land commitments, essential for sustained carbon benefits.

Summary

Tree Aid Ghana’s Tiisi Tenga initiative restores degraded lands in northern Ghana via agroforestry, planting over 370,000 trees on 1,000 hectares in phase one. Targeting 200,000 hectares total, it sequesters 3.4-3.5 tonnes of CO2 per hectare over 40 years, enhances climate resilience, boosts food security, and improves soil fertility. Community involvement, including protection measures, ensures success, with expansion planned based on lessons learned.

Key Points

Practical Advice

For farmers and communities interested in replicating Tiisi Tenga’s agroforestry practices in Ghana, start with site assessment to identify degraded areas suitable for tree integration. Select locally adapted species like shea or cashew that provide both environmental and economic returns.

Step-by-Step Agroforestry Implementation

1. Planning: Map farmlands and involve local leaders to secure land commitments for at least 40 years, mirroring Tiisi Tenga’s approach.
2. Seedling Preparation: Establish nurseries for high-quality seedlings of carbon-sequestering trees such as mahogany and teak.
3. Planting: Integrate trees with crops on contours to prevent erosion; aim for densities that allow intercropping.
4. Maintenance: Irrigate during dry seasons, create fire belts (cleared strips around plantations), and form monitoring groups to guard against fire and livestock.
5. Monitoring: Track survival rates and growth; adjust based on community feedback, as done in validation workshops.

These steps, drawn from Tiisi Tenga’s model, can sequester carbon while yielding fruits and timber, enhancing household income and resilience to climate change in Ghana.

Points of Caution

While promising, agroforestry for carbon sequestration in Ghana requires vigilance. High initial survival rates depend on consistent watering and protection, as dry seasons pose risks of drought and fire. Communities must commit to 40-year land use restrictions to realize full carbon benefits, avoiding short-term exploitation.

• Monitor for pests and diseases affecting species like mango and cashew.
• Ensure equitable benefit-sharing to prevent conflicts among households and chiefs.
• Validate biodiversity impacts regularly to safeguard local ecosystems.
• Avoid overplanting that could compete with food crops, balancing restoration with immediate food needs.

Tree Aid Ghana mitigates these through structured groups and workshops, emphasizing long-term stewardship.

Comparison

Tiisi Tenga aligns with Tree Aid’s broader portfolio, such as previous shea parkland restoration projects in Ghana, but scales up to 200,000 hectares with a explicit carbon focus. Compared to similar initiatives like the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100), which Ghana pledged to restore 2 million hectares by 2030, Tiisi Tenga’s community-centric agroforestry offers localized, verifiable carbon sequestration.

Versus Traditional Reforestation

Unlike monoculture reforestation, which often fails due to low survival (under 50% in dry areas), agroforestry in Tiisi Tenga integrates trees with crops, achieving higher resilience and yields. For instance, planting teak alongside maize improves soil nitrogen via legumes like cassia, outperforming pure plantations in carbon storage per hectare.

Regional Benchmarks

In neighboring Burkina Faso, Tree Aid’s analogous projects restored 10,000+ hectares; Tiisi Tenga’s 200,000-hectare ambition positions Ghana as a leader in West African land degradation neutrality efforts under the UNCCD framework.

Legal Implications

The Tiisi Tenga carbon mission incorporates legal safeguards through draft agreements reviewed in community workshops. These ensure long-term land tenure security for 40 years, critical for carbon sequestration verification and potential carbon credit markets. In Ghana, such agreements align with the Land Act 2020, which supports customary land management involving chiefs and families.

Participants must adhere to commitments to avoid disputes, with Tree Aid facilitating reviews for mutual satisfaction. This framework prevents unauthorized land conversion, enabling benefits from restored lands while complying with national climate policies like Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. No speculative carbon trading is involved yet; focus remains on verified sequestration and community gains.

Conclusion

Tree Aid Ghana’s Tiisi Tenga carbon mission stands as a beacon for restoring degraded lands in Ghana, blending agroforestry with community empowerment to sequester carbon, combat climate change, and secure food systems. By planting 370,000 trees in phase one and targeting vast hectares, it demonstrates scalable solutions for northern Ghana’s challenges. Endorsed by local leaders like Peter Claver Anyeember and Alhassan Mohammed, the project promises improved agriculture, rainfall patterns, and livelihoods. As it expands, Tiisi Tenga reinforces Ghana’s commitment to sustainable development, urging broader adoption of these proven practices.

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