Dr. Gloria Djaney Djagbletey, Head of Forest and Climate Change Division of the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-FORIG), who disclosed this, said that the only specie being planted was Teak.

At the opening of a three-day annual review and planning session of FORIG, the theme, “Making research findings relevant to end users,” Dr. Djagbletey suggested the planting of Cedrela and other tree species.

The National Forest Plantation Development Programme was launched in September 2001, to accelerate the rate of establishment of forest plantations.

It was implemented within degraded forest reserves, and the programme was re-launched in January, 2010 to expand the scope, to cover private lands located outside forest reserves.

Dr. Djagbletey mentioned the launch of the national forestry plantation strategy, 2016-2040, which focus on creating employment opportunities and sustainable livelihoods in rural communities.

According to Dr. Djagbletey, the programme would enhance production of food crops to ensure food security in the country.

Mr. Wilson Owusu, Head of Wood Industry and Utilisation Division of FORIG, said REDD+ — ‘reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation’, a project, offered a new way of curbing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through paying for actions that prevent forest loss or degradation.

He noted that REDD+ project involved payments to developing countries that would prevent deforestation or degradation that would otherwise have taken place, but he was worried that illegal logging and imbalance in domestic farming contributing negatively against the project.

Mr. Owusu urged the authorities to take steps and stop illegal logging to ensure that REDD+ works to enhance carbon trading in the country.

From Kingsley E. Hope, Fumesua