Ghanaian cocoa farmer adopts agroforestry to protect local tropical forests

Cocoa farmer Susana Afrifa Ankrah is helping to demonstrate how protecting forests can sustain local livelihoods and build resilience against climate change in south-eastern Ghana, Positive News reported. Her work takes place on the hills of the Atewa Range, a surviving fragment of tropical forest that hosts rare wildlife species. [1]

The Atewa Range forest provides a habitat for various animals, including colobus monkeys, eagle owls, flycatchers, and rare species of cuckoos and frogs, according to Positive News. Ankrah's farming methods show how agricultural communities can coexist with and safeguard these critical natural environments. [1]

Agriculture contributes 22 percent of the gross domestic product in Ghana, where cocoa is a primary economic driver. Ghana is the second-largest producer of cocoa in the world, alongside major economic sectors in gold and crude oil. [3]

Organizations like Tree Aid operate in Ghana and across the Sahel region to support local communities through sustainable forestry and enterprise development. These initiatives focus on natural resource management, restoring land, and protecting environmental ecosystems to improve local incomes. [2]