By Nneka Nwogwugwu
AstraZeneca has announced a partnership with the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance (CBA) and local partners to establish the first ‘Living Lab’ in Ghana.
This community-led project aims to plant 4.5 million trees by the end of 2025, with the aim of acquiring over 3 million surviving trees, and establish circular business models for local communities.
In projects co-designed with local stakeholders, the programme will restore 2,500 hectares of dry and savannah forest and demonstrate the benefits of biodiversity regeneration to the local economy through the creation of local jobs and training programmes.
This initiative is a new addition to the AZ Forest programme which aims to plant and maintain 50 million trees worldwide by 2025, while making a positive contribution to communities and local economies.
The natural forested land in the Atebubu and Wiase districts in central Ghana has been subjected to degradation and habitat change due to heavy encroachment by farmers and tree cutting for charcoal.
The programme will combine natural forest restoration, agroforestry and woodlots, which will benefit people, society and the planet.
