Managing the Threat of Floating Aquatic Weeds and Restoring the Vegetation Cover of Lower Volta Basin to Conserve Biodiversity of the Volta River in the Torgome Traditional Area in The North Tongu District Of The Volta Regions

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Description

Background

Communities along the lower Volta River basin where the natural flow of the River had been altered due the construction of the Akosombo and the Kpong dams have experienced a drastic change in socioeconomic and cultural conditions. Indeed communities such as Torgome, Klamadoboe, Alabonu and Kasa in the North Tongu District of the Volta region have had a negative change in life style ranging from socio cultural, economic to health and as a result both youths and the aged have either migrated or are contemplating of migrating to nearby Towns and Cities such as Akosombo, Kpong and Accra in search of non existing jobs. The only jobs available to them in the Cities and Towns are street hawking and other menial jobs as well as human degrading occupations such as prostitution and sometimes armed robbery since the illiteracy rate is relatively high in their communities.

The people of Torgome traditional area where the above mentioned communities are located are mainly farmers. This is located at the entrance into the North Tongu District of the Volta Region and close to the Eastern region of Ghana. The major occupation for the young men is river fishing and river sand winning, the older men and women are mostly subsistent farmers who farm in Cassava and Pepper for their nuclear families. Torgorme and its surrounding communities have an estimated total population of about 5,000 inhabitants who are presently migrating to nearby Towns for better living conditions. Torgome is traditionally headed by a chief and has an assembly member in the local government system. It has six communities with each community headed by an area head as part of their traditional set-up.

Torgome used to have a rich natural resource including land for agricultural activities such as pepper farming and the river Volta for fishing. However the situation has changed drastically over the period of fifteen years. Fishermen have severely complained of consistent decrease in catch, neither do vegetable farmers benefit from their hard work on farms. These two activities which remains their only reliable source of livelihood are being threatened. The alternative source of livelihood for the young men which is environmentally degrading activity is River Sand winning. This activity has resulted in young men suffering from diseases such as bilharzias, hernia as well as eye defects. Deposition of alluvial from the river which enriches the soil during river flooding in the rainy season has also declined thus rendering the land along that part of the river which used to be very rich and fertile ordinary and less fertile for agricultural activities. Though inhabitants are fishermen, Children are malnourished and infant mortality rate is high due to malnutrition and malaria. In fact more than 97% of the total populations are poor with very little options available to them to improve their living conditions in spite of the fact that the communities have important natural resources such as the Volta River and vast stretch of land at their disposal. Their problems are further aggravated by the growth of floating aquatic weeds (FAW) such water hyacinth and water lettuce. These have restricted free movement of fishermen on the river and subsequent decrease in fish catch.

A holistic approach to reduction in growth and spread of floating aquatic weeds especially Water hyacinth and the provision of sustainable alternative livelihood projects would go along way to improve the living conditions of the inhabitants and surrounding communities. Threat to the biodiversity in and around the Lower Volta shall be curtailed if the problem of aquatic weed invasion is stopped. Fishing and Vegetable farms shall provide food and income to farmers and their dependants. Diseases such as Bilharzias and related cases shall significantly be reduced. Improve living conditions shall ensure better food for children to solve the problem of malnutrition as well as infant mortality and poverty shall be significantly reduced.

Project goal and objectives

The goal of the project is to contribute to the reduction of the pollution of the Lower Volta River through the removal and efficient utilization of the water hyacinth and rehabilitation of the Volta River Basin. The specific objectives to be achieved by the end of the project period are:

1. To create awareness among the women’s groups in the Torgome traditional area of the economic potential of the aquatic weeds.
2. To build capacity in the effective management of the aquatic weeds through training in compost production and cage aquaculture.
3. To replant the degrade areas within the Volta Basin
4. To assist women’s group to invest commercial production of organic vegetable and cage aquaculture.

Expected project outputs are as follows

• Capacities of women’s groups developed in efficient management of aquatic weeds and conservation practices within the Lower Volta Basin
• Women’s group assisted to invest in compost production and aquaculture developed.
• 10 ha of degraded areas within the Volta Basin rehabilitated with planted woodfuel and economic species.
• Access to credit to engage in compost production and cage aquaculture developed for trained women

Expected Outcomes

Achievements: Results and Impact

Lessons for Replication

TYPE LESSONS HERE

References

See also

1. Kunyukuo solar water supply, and ecological sanitation management systems, Ghana
2. Integrated Project on Aquatic Weeds Management for the Protection of International Waters and Sustainable Land management in the Lower Volta Basin Area of Tsetsekpo and Sayikope communities
3. Integrated Community-Based Biodiversity Conservation Reforestation of degraded lands, and sustainable fisheries development in Fievie Community and along the Volta River, Ghana
4. Golinga community integrated solar water supply, and sanitation management systems, Ghana
5. Developing Community Network For Sustainable Land Management And Poverty Reduction In The Gburumani – Dimabi Traditional Area Of The Tolon Kumbugu District
6. Community-based biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of Mamdowodindo and Nana Busua Wetlands/lagoons in the Ahanta West District, Ghana
7. Community-based Integrated Coastal Zone Management for enhanced agricultural biodiversity and improved rural livelihood in Amlakpo, Adodoajikope, Asigbekope and Kenya in the Dangbe East District
8. Abriem Community Integrated water supply and sanitation management systems, Ghana

External Resources

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