Chainsaw milling project undertakes capacity building activities to enhance alternative livelihoods

This is to ensure that people living in forest fringe communities acquire the relevant skills to undertake successful alternative livelihoods so as to dissuade them from engaging in activities such as illegal chainsaw milling that promote deforestation and forest degradation.

A hundred (100) people drawn from the Feyiase Agroforestry Association working in the Begoro Forest District in the Eastern Region, the Breman Anhwiam Agroforestry Association in the Assin Fosu Forest District of the Central Region, and the Obogu Agroforestry Association in the Juaso Forest District of the Ashanti Region received training in Cocoa Agroforestry to enable them carry out reforestation activities in degraded forests that have been allocated to them.

The training covered topics such as agroforestry of multipurpose trees and shrubs, designing an agroforestry system, components of an agroforestry system, agroforestry practices, managing an agroforestry system, economic considerations in agroforestry, linking agroforestry to livelihood, and challenges in the adoption of agroforestry among several other topics.

In addition, thirty-five (35) members of the Insu-Siding Artisanal Milling Association in the Tarkwa Forest District of the Western Region and the Akyem Apoli Artisanal Milling Association in the Oda Forest District of the Eastern Region were trained in technical skills necessary for operating the Wood Mizer and for carrying out maintenance activities.

The skill training exercise focussed on subject areas such as introduction to milling, operating sawmilling equipment, sawmilling hygiene, health and safety measures, log milling techniques, wood storage and treatment, and equipment maintenance.

In order to help Small and Medium Forest Enterprises (SMFEs) in beneficiary communities to run their businesses more effectively, ninety (90) members of the Wood Workers Association of Ghana (WAG) at Ejura in the Mampong Forest District of the Ashanti Region, the Breman Anhwiam Agroforestry Association and the Assin Fosu Artisanal Millers Association were trained in leadership and business skills.
Topics covered included group dynamics, leadership development, business networking, record keeping and basic business management.

It is anticipated that at the end of the CSM Project in March this year, beneficiaries under the project would have acquired enough skills to independently undertake successful alternative livelihoods.