NORWDA advocates bye-laws to protect African Locust Bean Trees

The Northern Women Development Association (NORWDA) in the Nantong District is undertaking an advocacy programme for major stakeholders including Assembly Members, chiefs and opinion leaders to actualize the implementation of bye-laws to protect the African Bean trees in the district.

According to the association, recently the population of the African Locust Bean tree has been reduced drastically especially in and around the Nantong District due to bush fires, Deforestation, land degradation and the felling down of the trees for charcoal production.

This was said in a statement and signed by the President, Abubakari Issah to display their displeasure towards the mismanagement of the African Bean tress in the district.

This is the full statement of the press release by the President

NORTHERN RURAL WOMEN DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (NORWDA)

LOCATION: NANTONG

The Northern Rural Women Development Association (NORWDA) is a local association based in the Nantong District in the Northern Region of Ghana with over 70% of its members being women who are basically involved in agriculture value chain activities for their source of income and livelihood. For a long time, the women in the Nantong district have relied on the processing and marketing of the Africa Locust bean (dawadawa) for both incomes and nutrition. The African locust bean tree (Parkia biglobosa) is a deciduous tree that grows 7-30 meters tall throughout Ghana. The pods (locust beans) of the tree average 30-40 cm long and are filled with up to 30 seeds. Only women produce dawadawa. In April and May they harvest the seedpods by pulling them down from the trees with a crook. The husks are removed and the seeds and pulp are placed into a wooden pestle and pounded to separate out the seeds from their covering, which is set aside, and eaten as it is or used as a flour to make porridge. These seeds are fermented and made into a strong aromatic cakes sold as a food flavoring called dawadawa, often used in the preparation of most soups and stews and recommended for poor communities whose diets lacks proteins and vitamin B.

In recent times, the population of the African Locust Bean tree has been reduced drastically especially in and around the Nantong District due to bush fires, Deforestation, land degradation and the felling down of the trees for charcoal production. The indiscriminate felling of the African Locust Bean tree has affected the incomes and livelihoods of most women in the Nantong district. For this reason, NORWDA is implementing and advocacy action in the Nantong District for major stakeholders such as the Chiefs, Assembly members and other opinion leaders to institute Bye-Laws that will protect the African Locust Bean tree in the district. The advocacy action is supported by the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC FUND) and their partners, the USAID and DANIDA.

Signed: Abubakari Issah

President

Source: Eric Nii Sackey || ghananewsonline.com.gh