A Larabanga based farmer in the West Gonja municipal assembly of the Savannah region has been ordered to plant 100 shea seedlings or be jailed for 100 years for poisoning and killing 89 shea trees at his farm, located opposite the Mole national park air strips, near Monogri community with poisonous chemicals.
The Director of JackSally Development Organization, Jeremiah Seidu visited the farm on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, to ascertain first hand information and to know reasons why the farmer decided to destroy 89 shea trees.
The Larabanga based farmer (Fuseini) who admitted to have undertaken the barbaric act, apologized to the Director of JackSally Development Organization, after a visit to the farmer at his shop.
The farmer explained that he destroyed or killed the shea trees to pave way for him to plant cashew.
In a quick response, Jeremiah Seidu told the farmer that both cashew and shea trees can grow and fruit well on the same land and called on the agricultural officers in the area to intensify sensitization to farmers not to fell shea trees to plant cashew, because both have economic values for the country and can fruit on the same farmland.
The JackSally Development Organization and partners are advocating for more shea trees/seedlings to be planted because of the value of she fruits to women in the area and the country.
In June/July last year, the immediate past USA Ambassador to Ghana, Ambassador Sullivan, launched the Shea seedlings planting project at the Jakpa Palace, Damongo, to encourage chiefs and people of Gonjaland to plant more shea seedlings.
As part of efforts to get the farmer replace the 89 shea trees destroyed, Mr Jeremiah Seidu has linked the farmer to both the Bole Cocoa Research Center and A Rocha Ghana, to supply the farmer with free shea seedlings.
The farmer will first meet Dr. Yaboah and his team at Bole Cocoa Research Center for orientation on importance of shea fruits, how to plant the seedlings and how to manage the seedlings till maturity and will be supervised by both institutions.
Shea network, JackSally Development Organization and partners are currently investigating other equally devastating felling of shea trees for fuel wood or charcoal in the Bole area.
According to eyewitness, the shea trees that have been cut down for charcoal, are the ones that fruit more.
Mr Jeremiah Seidu expressed gratitude to Shea Network for the support and USAID WABIC (West African Biodiversity and Climate Change) project for donating their car or truck to JackSally Development Organization.
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