Ghana’s Green Ghana Day Project Exceeds Tree-Planting Targets with 31 Million Trees Planted in Two Years
The Ghanaian government’s Green Ghana Day initiative, which aims to aggressively reforest and restore degraded landscapes, has planted over 31 million trees in two years. According to Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, 23 million of the trees have survived and are being nurtured. The programme was launched in 2021, and it has continued to make significant progress since then, planting more trees than initially targeted.
Initially, the goal was to plant five million trees; however, by the end of the year, the number had increased by two million. Similarly, in 2022, the government aimed to plant 20 million trees but ended up planting 24 million. The public’s acceptance of the initiative to green the country is shown in these impressive statistics.
Despite adequate measures being put in place to ensure the survival of all planted trees, some external factors account for the survival rate, including rainfall patterns, wildfires, and soil fertility. An average survival rate of 72 percent was recorded last year, compared to 81 percent in 2021, according to a field assessment. However, the minister stated that this is not a cause for alarm, as the remaining 23 million trees require attention and nurturing.
The government has revised its target for 2023 downward to 10 million trees to devote more resources to nurturing the trees planted over the past two years while continuing to restore degraded landscapes. The official launch of the project will take place in May by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.
The 2023 edition of Green Ghana Day will take place on Friday, June 9, under the theme ‘Our Forest, Our Health.’ The minister called on all Ghanaians to support the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to make this year’s event a success, saying trees play a crucial role in our survival and that of planet Earth.
As in previous years, seedlings will be made available for pick-up at the Ministry, the district offices of the Forestry Commission, and other designated locations on Green Ghana Day. Private institutions are also invited to participate by adopting compartments that will be branded with their names and logos. A schedule of the seedling distribution and pick-up points will be published soon.
For the most part, the government has succeeded in restoring degraded landscapes and reforesting the country with the Green Ghana Day initiative. The survival rate of the trees planted is high, demonstrating the public’s support and acceptance of the project. The government aims to continue restoring degraded landscapes by planting 10 million trees in 2023 while nurturing the trees planted over the past two years. Ghanaians are encouraged to participate by adopting compartments, picking up seedlings, and planting trees on Green Ghana Day, June 9, 2023.