A sensitization workshop on Ghana Environmental Management Project (GEMP) to strengthen institutions and rural communities to reverse land degradation and desertification trends in the three Northern Regions is underway in Bolgatanga.
The Project would also adopt sustainable water and land management systems to help improve food security and reduce poverty in the Regions.
It is being attended by major stakeholders including Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives and their Coordinators and Planners, Assembly Members, Traditional Authorities and Heads of Departments.
Mr Maxwell Kofi Jumah, Deputy Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Environment said the five-year project would help combat land degradation and desertification, particularly in the three Northern Regions when successfully implemented.
He noted that it would also help rural communities to adopt sustainable water and land management systems to improve food security and reduce poverty.
Mr Jumah said operational capabilities of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would be strengthened to develop practical and effective policies, programmes and activities.
This, he explained would be through improved legislation on land use that degraded the environment and enforcement of existing environmental regulations related to desertification.
Mr Jumah asked Parliamentarians and Assembly Members in the three Northern Regions as the elected representatives of the people to look for pragmatic solutions and pursue efforts that would not only improve land and water management but also reduce poverty in the area.
"As policy makers and implementers, you are expected to bring your varied experiences to bear on objectives of the project so that the efforts would bear fruits and change the environment in your constituents for the better," he added.
Mr Jonathan Allotey, Director of EPA in an address read on his behalf by Mr Samuel Anku, Director of Intersectoral Network Division of EPA, said land degradation and desertification had been recognized as major global and sub-regional environmental problems with adverse impact on the livelihood of people.
He noted that about 65 per cent of Africa's population was affected by land degradation and agricultural production was reducing at about three per cent.
Mr Allotey noted that a recent study conducted by World Bank estimated that the cost of environmental degradation was about 475 million dollars annually.
He explained that in the past, governments initiated several interventions to curb the problem of land degradation but those strategic interventions were inadequate and land degradation continued to accelerate.
Mr Allotey said it was against this background that the Project was designed to address land degradation especially at the grass-roots levels.
He commended Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) for supporting the Project.
Mr Alhassan Samari, Upper East Regional Minister, said the project would help reduce the threat of desertification and land degradation that had rendered the land unproductive, leading to increase in poverty.
He noted that there was the need for the three Northern Regions to make sound environmental management part of their daily activities.
Mr Samari appealed to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment to consider making the District Environmental Management Committee, a statutory committee under the District Assemblies and asked for the necessary resources to enable Regional Environmental Management Committees function effectively and efficiently to ensure success of the project.