As part of the global climate adaptation strategy, Goshen Global Vision (GGV), an environmental NGO in collaboration with the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Ministry of Agriculture (MOFA) has embarked on students’ Tree Planting Project in some second cycle institutions in the Western Region.
The US Forest Services funded project formed part of the Greening Sekondi-Takoradi Twin City project.
Addressing students at the Daboase Senior High Technical School (SHTS) during the planting exercise, a Research Scientist at the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research at the Regional office in Takoradi, Dr. Yayra Afram demonstrated the planting of coconut trees to ensure proper yield and provide shade.
The enthusiastic students hoisted placards such as ‘One Student, One Coconut, One Tree’, Coconut Agroforestry for Food Security’, ‘Sowing The Seed Of A Sustainable Future’, Daboase Senior High Technical School: Pacesetters in Coconut Agroforestry’.
He noted that coconut had become an industrial crop with high economic benefits and encouraged the students to imbibe the skills and culture of planting the tree of life so as to prevent it from extinction.
Dr Yayra stressed the need for Ghanaians to replant coconut trees after destruction by the Cape Saint Paul winter disease.
He said replanting efforts by the CSIR and the Ministry of Agriculture have restored Ghana to her former glory as the largest producer of coconut in Africa after Tanzania had taken a commanding lead for two decades.
He reminded the students that the coconut plantation project was a guaranteed job for Senior High School students after completion and advised them to take advantage of the tree planting exercise, especially the coconut plantation.
Dr. Yayra enumerated the ecological benefits of the tree planting exercise as environmental conservation, provision of shade, medicinal, ventilation and prolonged life span to humanity as well as the potential economic value of the coconut trees.
He asked Ghanaians to patronize by-products from the coconut tree such as coconut oil, soap, toffee and coconut drinks.
He added that coconut water could be transfused directly into the bloodstream, while virgin coconut oil could be applied as a pomade to the body.
Dr Yayra said palm kernel oil avoids penetration of viruses to attack the body and noted that coconut was a high business which boosts the immune system and prolongs life.
Assistant Headmaster of the Daboase Senior High Technical School, Mr.Patrick Beya lauded GGV for leading the crusade to conserve the environment with a tree planting exercise.
He said the school has embraced the tree planting exercise to green the environment and asked the students to take advantage of the exercise as their contribution to climate resilience.
Executive Director of Goshen Global Vision, Madam Mary Perpetual Kwakuyi later told GNA in an interview that 800 coconut trees and 250 other trees would be planted by the students in the school’s surroundings.
She said 200 coconut trees had been planted at the Shama Senior High School earlier as well as the Ahantaman Senior High School.
Madam Kwakuyi said so far the team had planted about 9,000 trees in the Sekondi-Takoradi Twin-City area and planted 15,000 other trees in the Subri forest reserve and also in the Ellembelle District.
Source: Ghana News Agency
