Ankasa -Tano Community Resource Management Area CREMA, West African Primate Conservation Action (WAPCA) and French NGO Noe’ in partnership with Savannah Fruits Company are pleased to announce the opening of their second community-managed virgin organic coconut oil processing centre of the Ankasa-Tano Community Resource Management Area (CREMA) in Jomoro District at Edobo on the 29th April 2024.
The project is the second of its kind in the area and seeks to empower women and farmers to produce organic virgin coconut oil, in order to curb deforestation and sustainably manage natural resource, by and for the most vulnerable communities. Both processing centres, the first in Ellenda opened in 2020, forms part of the holistic approach to conservation whereby WAPCA recognises not only the conservation needs of the primates but also the socio-economic needs of the communities.
Thus, the creation of the Processing Centres has three main objectives: Sustainable and fair development. The Green Value Chain (GVC) created is certified organic, which means that the producers commit to sustain healthy ecosystems with organic agricultural practices and certification processes, and guarantees a minimum floor price and an additional premium, fair working conditions and respect of human rights.
Women empowerment West African women face disproportionate challenges such as land tenure, discrimination and sexual exploitation. Only 10% of aid for agriculture, forestry and fishing goes to women (FAO, 2014) whiles the agricultural production could be increased by 20-30% if women had the same access to agricultural resources as men (FAO, 2011).
Therefore, giving women the means and opportunity to improve their income by forming virgin coconut oil processor groups grants them the ability to lift themselves out of poverty, along with their families and communities. Biodiversity Conservation: As part of the project, a Conservation Agreement has been signed between the Ankasa-Tano CREMA and Savannah Fruits Company (SFC).
This agreement joins the CREMA to commit itself to preserving the forest through conservation actions such as patrols or reforestation, producing organic coconut fruits, whereas SFC also commit to buy coconut fruits from the CREMA’s registered farmers at a premium rate and pay a percentage to The Conservation Fund on each coconut purchased.
The Conservation Fund will then pay for the conservation actions and thereby creating over time completely Germany Executive Office Ghana Office UK OfficeHeidelberg Zoo Accra Zoo Po Box MB239 ZSH Paradise Wildlife Park Tiergartenstraβe 3. 69220. Accra. White Stubbs Lane, Broxbourne. Germany. Ghana. +44 (0) 1992 470490 x214 (Office) +49 6221 64550 +233 (0) 26 394 7433 +233 (0) 206 298 304 (Whatsapp) self-financing conservation initiatives, which benefits not only the primates but the local people too.