Paga: A cross-border project aimed at enhancing transboundary wildlife conservation and improving community livelihoods across parts of Northern Ghana and Southern Burkina Faso has officially been launched in Paga. The initiative, titled ‘Enhancing Inclusive Transboundary Governance for Landscape Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation: Reconnecting the PONASI Complex and the Ghana Wildlife Corridors,’ seeks to support free movement of wildlife and bolster ecosystem resilience between the two countries.
According to Ghana News Agency, the two-year project is being implemented by No©, a French-based conservation organization, in partnership with the Organisation for Indigenous Initiatives and Sustainability Ghana (ORGIIS-Ghana) in Ghana and Association of Nature Development (NATUDEV) in Burkina Faso. It is funded by the Foundation Audemars-Watkins. The project aims to strengthen governance structures of two Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs) in Ghana, and along the Western and Eastern Wildlife Corridors in the Upper East Region, and 11 Zone Villageoised’Int©rªt de Conservation (ZOVICs) in Burkina Faso, in efforts to restore degraded landscapes and protect biodiversity.
Additionally, the project seeks to improve local livelihoods through the introduction of sustainable income-generating activities such as beekeeping and shea butter production, which are expected to reduce pressure on natural resources and provide viable economic alternatives for communities. A key component of the project is the establishment of a platform for cross-border information exchange and collaboration, enabling joint wildlife monitoring, sharing of best practices, and coordinated responses to threats such as poaching and deforestation.
Speaking at the project launch in Paga, Mr. Abdul Wahid Arimiyaw, Project Coordinator for No©, stated that the project is focused on protecting key species such as elephants, restoring critical habitats, and empowering local communities who have long served as stewards of the land. ‘This transboundary project was born out of the real-life experiences we’ve had over the past five years,’ Mr. Arimiyaw said. ‘We realised that to effectively protect migratory species like elephants, our conservation efforts must go beyond national borders,’ he added.
He noted that the Nazinga Forest and Game Reserve in Burkina Faso and Mole National Park in Ghana are ecologically interconnected and form critical migratory routes for wildlife, collectively known as the PONASI Complex, a vital corridor for elephants. ‘Wildlife doesn’t recognise borders the way humans do,’ he added, stating that if there is no cooperation across countries, the species they are trying to protect may be lost. ‘Our ultimate goal is not only to conserve biodiversity,’ he emphasized, ‘but to create a sustainable balance where both wildlife and the communities who share the landscape can thrive.’
Mr. Julius Awaregya, Executive Director of ORGIIS-Ghana, explained that the project would focus on working with the Sanyiga Kassena Gavara Kara (SKGK) and Bulkawe CREMAs in Ghana, targeting conservation efforts along the Eastern and Western Wildlife Corridors to improve habitat connectivity and environmental sustainability. He said the project will collaborate with key stakeholders such as security agencies, Municipal and District Assemblies, the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, and partners in Burkina Faso to develop a cross-border implementation plan, enhance collaboration, and improve community livelihoods. ‘Human-elephant conflict is a major issue in the Eastern Wildlife Corridor,’ Mr. Awaregya noted. ‘So, beyond capacity building and livelihood interventions, we will implement specific strategies to mitigate these conflicts,’ he said.
On his part, Mr. Alexis Kabore, the President of NATUDEV, stated that the project will foster experience-sharing and deeper cooperation between the two countries, contributing significantly to the conservation of natural resources, wildlife, and the well-being of local communities.