Environmental Conservation

Environmental Conservation

 

KITA Center for Bio-Diversity and Natural Resources Management

It is common knowledge that sub-Saharan Africa still holds and remains home to diverse biological resources some of which are yet to be discovered and tapped. It is also known that many weeds, flora, and soils remain host to diverse creatures. It is also known that efforts to protect these vast and untapped biological diversity in sub-Saharan Africa is limited due to lack of knowledge about the usefulness of biological diversity and the lack of skills to co-create the diversity, conserve and utilize it.

It is against this background that KITA has set up our  Center for Biodiversity

The key objectives of the Center is

  1. Bio-diversity and employment – Creation of green jobs related to biodiversity conservation and utilization and community benefit sharing.
  2. Bio-diversity co-creation and conservation skills development and dissemination including participatory work with local communities leaders to conserve natural forest and protect endangered species.
  3. Bio-diversity awareness creation and mobilization of community support to protect endangered species and ensure that communities devise action plans to conserve plant and animal species.
  4. Bio-diversity net working for the sharing of knowledge including research on mangroves, crustaceans, birds, reptiles, mammals, bees and ensuring species conservation.
  5. Bio-diversity and Human health – food, medication, healing environment creation and utilization

Key projects:

  1. Tiny Urban Forests as a bases for biodiversity conservation
  2. Bees on Trees
  3. Trees for the Future
  4. Bio-diversity conservation adoption among soybean farmers in Northern Region
  5. Bio-diversity conservation among bee-farmers in Western North Region
  6. Sustainable Coastal Landscapes and Mangroves Restoration project
  7. Bio diversity conservation among tree plantations – Cashew, Oil palm, mango and coconut
  8. Soils for Africa-Ghana
  9. Protection of community based forests through advocacy and conservation initiatives.

KITA Centre for Agro-Ecology and Food Systems Design/Promotion

To ensure conservation of natural resources, KITA is engaged in promoting agro-ecology, permaculture, ecological farming and sustainable food systems in local communities in Ghana.

  1. Agroforestry
  2. Agroecological practices among small holder farmers in Ashanti and Western regions
  3. Integrated pest management principles and practices
  4. Conservation of snails species, small forest animals, at our Eco-center.

KITA Center for Permaculture and Organic Farmland Design

The center seeks to provide research, skills training and extension services to youth, professional and practicing farmers to ensure integration of permaculture principles and organic farming in our farming activities.

  1. Permaculture certificate courses
  2. Permaculture practices among small holder farmers
  3. Organic farming and organic certification
  4. Organic insecticide promotion to protect beneficial insects from extinction including ladybird, bees,
  5. Establishment of ecological zones and assisting organic farmers to ensure conservation of water, plants and animal species
  6. Member of International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM)

Agroforestry and Tree Planting

i. KITA has been working in collaboration with Trees for the future to provide training and capacity building in Agroforestry and Tree planting with Farmer groups, NGOs, FBOs and Schools across the country from 2009 – 2013. through this project, about 1 million trees have been planted on farms, in schools and in communities across the country. KITA is currently reaching out to about 60 NGos, 55 Schools, 10,000 Farmers and students in promoting agroforestry and tree planting in Ghana with support from Trees for the Future USA. The program is being led by Lovans Owusu-Takyi the Program coordinator. To view pictures and further details of programs visit: www.treesftf.org or on facebook search lovans@treesftf.org to view pictures of activities.

NGos such as Permaculture Network Ghana – led by Paul Yeboah in Techiman, Darsfield Earthcare and Farm-Tech Foundation www.darsfoundation.org, Environmental Development youth Movement in Have Volta region www.edym.org, Trees for Development http://www.treesfordevelopment.org Research Action for sustainable Development – RASUD headed by Llord Titus Amedome in Hohoe, Mobility Foundation, Peace Corps Ghana among others are collaborating with KITA to enhance these tree planting activities.

Other specific project activities includes:

Community tree nurseries

Asewase, Apromase, Besease, Nobewam, Ofoase and Domiabra will be assisted to establish community tree nurseries to supply free seedlings to farmers for alley cropping, tree planting around water bodies and in communities, and revamping the depleted forests.

ii.  Environmental awareness creation

In 20 communities in Ejisu Juaben District, seminars will be run on the methods and importance of farming with trees, and the need to preserve their forests and maintain their water bodies and wetlands.
Promoting safer livelihood for all animals

iii.  Tree planting around water bodies

In collaboration with the forestry department of the district, the institute will conduct tree-planting exercises around rivers Samae, Oda, Abopo and Subin in the Ejisu Juaben District. The institute plans to cover 2 kilometres of each of these rivers before the close of the year.

iv.  Tree planting exercises around communities

In the participatory village development programme, one of the problems ascertained included seasonal ‘de-roofing’ of people’s houses during the rainy seasons making people homeless. Sometimes roofs of schools are also removed. The institute plans to plant trees in 10 of these communities this year. the trees to be planted include citrus and other fruit trees, and leucena, that can provide fruits food security and serve as food for livestock and provide fuel wood.

v.  Central community tree nursery

The institute is establishing a central tree nursery to supply free tree seedlings to communities and farmer groups who are interested in the alley cropping. It is hoped that by September 2003, some 5000 tree seedlings will be ready for distribution.

vi.  Bush fire campaigns

The institute will include campaigns against bush fires in all of our rural development programmes.