Bono East Minister advocates expansion of carbon credit activities to reduce emissions

The Bono East Regional Minister, Francis Owusu Antwi, has urged for the intensification and mainstreaming of carbon credit initiatives as part of Ghana’s broader efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address the growing impact of climate change.

He explained that carbon credit systems allow industries and institutions to operate within regulated emission limits while encouraging environmental practices that reduce overall carbon output. According to him, such mechanisms are increasingly important as Ghana faces rising environmental challenges linked to global climate change.

Mr. Owusu Antwi expressed concern about the visible effects of climate change across the country, including shifting weather patterns, extreme temperatures, erratic rainfall, prolonged dry spells, and the increasing frequency of floods and thunderstorms.

He warned that these environmental changes pose serious risks to national development, particularly in the areas of agriculture, food security, and rural livelihoods, which depend heavily on stable climatic conditions.

“There is an urgent need to introduce and mainstream carbon credit activities,” he stated during a presentation ceremony in Nkoranza, where tree seedlings were distributed to farmers under the Agroforestry for Carbon Credit Project.

As part of national environmental efforts, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has supplied over one million economic tree seedlings for distribution across the Bono, Bono East, and Savannah Regions. The initiative forms part of the broader Agroforestry for Carbon Credit Programme aimed at promoting afforestation and sustainable land use practices.

Mr. Owusu Antwi noted that Bono East Region has already made significant progress in carbon offsetting initiatives through its participation in the National Tree Planting Exercise, with over 355,480 tree seedlings reportedly planted so far.

He further disclosed that all 11 district and municipal assemblies in the region have been directed to enact by-laws aimed at combating bushfires and protecting forest cover, as part of efforts to sustain environmental gains.

The Regional Directorate of Agriculture, he added, is also promoting climate-smart agricultural practices such as minimum tillage, agroforestry systems, and improved fertilizer application methods that reduce environmental degradation and improve soil health.

He highlighted that Bono East’s strong production of cashew and mango crops also contributes to carbon absorption, noting that perennial tree crops play an important role in reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Mr. Owusu Antwi commended government initiatives such as the Feed Ghana programme, Nkoko Nketenkete initiative, irrigation projects, and buffer stock systems, describing them as complementary efforts that strengthen agricultural resilience and food security.

He urged farmers benefiting from the Agroforestry for Carbon Credit Project to strictly adhere to implementation guidelines to ensure the success and sustainability of the initiative. He also called on project managers to ensure timely release of resources to beneficiaries.

On her part, Madam Anitha Narahari, Deputy Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to strengthening resilient livelihoods and improving food systems across Ghana.

She explained that Phase II of the Changing Lives Transformation Fund Agroforestry Carbon Credit Programme is expected to reach about 15,000 farmers, with 10,000 directly receiving seedlings to support agroforestry activities and climate adaptation.

Experts say such initiatives are increasingly critical as Ghana seeks to balance agricultural expansion with environmental sustainability and long-term climate resilience.