Moving Towards a Green Economy

Ghana’s Approach in the Bia Biosphere Reserve

Presented at the 4th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves, Lima - Peru

March 2016

SHEILA ASHONG

Ghana MAB National Committee /AfriMAB Secretariat

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Content

• Sharing some perspectives of a Green

Economy (Ref: AFRIMAB initiatives and

approaches)

• Our approach to attaining a Green economy

• Blue Economy

• Ensuring Sustainability

What is a Green Economy?

• A green economy is one that results in improved

human well-being and social equity, which

significantly reduces environmental risks and

ecological scarcities.” [UNEP 2011].

• Due consideration of the characteristics of BRs based

and their functions

Some Green Economy Principles

(UNCSD 2012)• Help to achieve sustainable Development

• Addresses Equity(among groups, nations, generations)

• Foster prosperity and promote general wellbeing

• Improve Ecological integrity

• Promote inclusive and participatory decision-making

• Accountability in Governance

• Build social, economic and environmental resilience

• Deliver sustainable production and consumption patterns

• Investing for the future

Provide a comprehensive approach to

attaining sustainable development

through:

• Protecting the Environment VS Protecting People

• Knowledge – Education, Awareness raising, Sensitization

• Attitudes – Self interest, Ownership, Skills

• Practices – Enabling conditions

Green Economy in Biosphere Reserves:

• Knowledge building:

What

Understanding the situation - stakeholders, incentives, issues

Dialogue - mutual learning & exchange

Identifying entry points - opportunities, partners, gaps, constraints

Education, Awareness raising, Sensitization

How Influential people – Religious and community leaders, elderly

Trainings - Workshops

Mass media - Community Radios

Education System – Lower & Secondary schools

Green Economy in Biosphere Reserves:

• Practices – Enabling environment

Mobilizing capacities:

Traditional Knowledge

Leaderships

Women

Facilitating partnerships:

Promoting collective action- economy of scale

Public- Community- Private partnerships

Market Linkages

Improving Skills:

Entrepreneurial capacities - business planning and management

Technical competences -

Organizational abilities – formation of association

Green Economy in Biosphere Reserves:

RESULT ???????

• “Economically empowered communities protect

their ecosystems!”

Blue Economy or Blue Growth

• Originates from the broader green movement

but with emphasis on human impacts on ocean

ecosystems through activities like overfishing,

habitat destruction, pollution, climate change

impacts

• Ref: COP 21, SDG(14)s

• Blue Economy business model will shift society

from scarcity to abundance with what is locally

available by tackling issues that cause

environmental and related problems. PIBR,

MWBR

Some Actions at the Regional

Level on Green Economy

• 3rd AfriMAB general Assembly recommended each

member country to implement a green economy project

.

• As a follow up recommendation, regional workshop on

green was organized in Sao Tome and Principe in

December, 2015

• International Review workshop on GEBR in Tanzania,

February, 2016

• Key thematic Area of AfriMAB, formation of a Green

Economy Working Group

Green Economy in Biosphere

Reserves (GEBR Project)• Goal :• Conserve biodiversity, reduce poverty and contribute to susta

-inable development in sub-Saharan Africa

• Objectives:

Diversification of the economy through improved and

alternative biodiversity related livelihoods.

Reduce the pressure on forest resources as a result of fuel

wood extraction for heating and cooking purposes.

Build the capacity of communities in a holistic manner to

ensure the sustainability of the biodiversity businesses and to

conserve the resource-base of their business.

Our Approach

• Strengthen conservation through enhanced enforcement and awareness creation and capacity building

• Reinforce logistic function through research and monitoring of biodiversity

• Underscore the relevance of ecosystem services provided

• Provide complimentary livelihoods through biodiversity businesses meaning enterprise development in:

Bee keeping

Mushroom Farming

Snail Rearing

Palm oil production

Our Approach 2

• Strengthen conservation through enhanced enforcement andawareness creation and capacity building

• Reinforce logistic function through research and monitoring ofbiodiversity

• Underscore the relevance of ecosystem services provided

• Provide complimentary livelihoods through biodiversity businesses

Bee keeping

Mushroom growing

Snail rearing

Palm oil production

Business management skills

GEBR Project Track

Project Track 2

Selection of Beneficiaries

Mushroom production training

SNAIL PENS FOR FARMERS

Training in palm oil production

and business management

Maintenance of hives and mentoring of

trainees for baiting

Visibility Actions• Various platforms such as Facebook, website, newspapers, FM, TV and community workshops,

newsletter, and fora were used to publicize and disseminate information about the project in all the

countries.

• http://www.unesco.org/new/en/naturalsciences/environment/ecological-sciences/man-andbiosphere

programme/networks/afrimab/gebr-project

Achievements• To ensure sustainability:

Formation of local management team and inauguration

Creation of a revolving fund (HFC Bank partners)

Provision of bank account and support for financial management

Formation and registration of Green Economy livelihood associations

Provision of full set of equipment for all trainees to be paid back into revolving

Creation of marketing link for products

Publications

Provision of equipment to enhance management: GPS laptops, phones

Benefits

• All stakeholders: Management Authority,

partner institutions, local communities,

• Indirect: service providers, hotels, restaurants,

churches, media, etc

• Enhanced conservation education

Constraints

• Seasonality of biodiversity products and life cycles causing

delays

• Local content

• Delay in customized fabrication of equipment

• Full value chain development

• Marketing

Next Steps

• Full operationalisation of enterprises

• Repayment into revolving fund

• Upscaling to bring on board new beneficiaries

• Publication of trainers’ manuals and other information

• Support for BR Branding

MAP Showing the BRs in Ghana

CONCLUSION

• Its anticipated that opportunities will be created for

entrepreneurs and social enterprises in BRs(Ref: Lima

Action plan).

• Enterprises established to be models for emulation in

other sites

THANK YOU! MUCHA GRACIAS!