Kodzi: The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s Institute of Industrial Research (CSIR-IIR) has initiated a sensitisation programme focused on mangrove plantation for the residents of Kodzi in the Anloga District of the Volta region. This initiative aims to engage and educate the community on the significance and applications of mangroves.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Trinity Ama Tagbor, the Principal Research Scientist and leader of the group, emphasized the ecological and socio-economic functions of mangroves, highlighting their importance in mitigating climate change by sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide. The project seeks to encourage the Kodzi community to plant and restore mangroves in their locality.
Dr. Tagbor explained that in Ghana, mangroves have been extensively exploited for fuel and charcoal production, leading to indoor air pollution and negative health impacts, as well as environmental hazards that threaten livelihoods. She outlined the importance of mangroves, including their role in shoreline protection, providing habitats for marine life, serving as nurseries for fish, and aiding in carbon sequestration and climate change resilience.
She also mentioned the exploration of sustainable renewable energy sources to curb carbon emissions, such as biomass pellets and briquettes from agro-waste. Dr. Tagbor noted that briquettes are a sustainable alternative fuel source for conserving and restoring mangroves in Kodzi and are commercially available in Ghana, although their local use is not widespread.
Dr. Latifatu Adjah, Research Scientist and head of CSIR-IIR, highlighted the surrounding lagoon’s role in conserving mangroves, crabs, shrimps, and raffia plants, which are essential for the fishing community’s livelihood. She pointed out that the exploitation of mangroves for firewood and charcoal has degraded fishing breeding areas, posing an environmental threat due to deforestation and global warming.
Community leaders, Regent Togbi Zonyra of Kodzi and Assembly Member George Amenyo Dzakpasu, have welcomed the initiative and encouraged community members to support the project, which promises employment opportunities, improved quality of life, and ecosystem protection. They urged residents to adopt environmentally friendly practices, avoiding bushfires, harmful fishing methods, and overgrazing.
Additionally, a community management committee has been established to oversee and maintain the mangrove planting initiative aimed at improving livelihoods. The Ghana News Agency reports that CSIR-IIR will supply seedlings for planting a white mangrove plantation in Kodzi, with support from UNESCO through the Elsevier Foundation.