ZOVFA urges gov’t to consider NTFPs as raw materials for the One-District-One-Dam Initiative

A Farmer-Based Association, Zuuri Organic Vegetable Farmers Association, ZOVFA has observed that the promotion of Non-Timber Forest Products, NTFP sector can be a key measure to creating jobs while increasing household incomes for the rural poor. 

The association is of the view that the NTFP sector has huge resource potentials to turn around the economic fortunes of rural communities should it be given a major boost in terms of their product development, packaging and marketing.  

It is therefore proposing to government to consider a number of the NTFPs as primary raw materials for its ‘One District One Factory ‘policy initiative. 

Speaking to Radio Ghana's Isaac Asare on the sidelines of an advocacy stakeholder meeting in Bolgatanga, the Advocacy Officer for ZOVFA, Mark Akparibo added that government should go a step further to support private sector interventions with focus on NTFPs. 

He said for government to give special attention and prominence to the request made, the various assemblies can begin to identify NTFPs with huge potentials in their respective areas. 

He mentioned tamarind, moringa, straw baskets, Shea, Boabab, and Parkia, locally referred to as Dawadawa, as some NTFPs that are contributing significantly to rural livelihoods, particularly for income generation and food security.  

According to him, the potential of these untapped resources are located in specific environments and vary from district to district. 

However, if assemblies are able to identify a particular product with a huge potential to support value addition, then they can use that as a basis to fit into the district industrialisation policy by government. 

In addressing the concerns of resource availability and constant supply of products to feed the factories, Mr Akparibo said lesson can be drawn from countries like Burkina Faso, where occasionally baobab seedlings are nurtured in gardens for a period of 4-6 months before harvesting of its leaves takes place. 

This practical intervention, he noted is worth emulating and can be brought on board to promote other NTFPs. 

He also emphasised the urgency for the conservation of existing resources through rigorous public education by the media and other relevant stakeholders including identifiable groups and traditional authorities. 

For him, the creation of community led forest resource management initiatives was necessary to addressing the depletion of NTFPs, some of which are currently ongoing.  

Mr. Akparibo also observed that a number of communities in the Upper East Region are becoming major export earners in the production of NTFPs especially baobab. 

He therefore encouraged the district assemblies to consider the sector in their medium term development plans. 

The Programs Coordinator of ZOVFA, Philip Ayamga, for his part expressed regret about the low investment in the production of NTFPS and tasked agencies working in the area of economic empowerment under the ambit of the various assemblies to provide relevant capacity building and financial support to NTFP primary collectors.  

He said a research finding by ZOVFA in the course of its advocacy action has shown that over 90 percent of NTFP primary collectors lack the technical capacity to produce secondary products through value addition, hence the need for the provision of rural technology facilities to augment their activities and to sustain their livelihoods.  

Meanwhile, ZOVFA with the support of BUSAC fund is undertaking a one year advocacy action towards harnessing the potentials of Non Timber Forest Products, NTFP as a major contributor to improving the livelihood of rural poor particularly women who constitute over 85 percent of primary collectors.

GBC