A Greener Tomorrow

Ernestina Serwaa spent much of her life as a small-scale farmer in Asante Akyem Wenchi, a lush and rural corner of Ghana where cocoa and palm oil farms dot the landscape. Most farmers in her region rely on rain-fed agriculture, use outdated farming tools and lack access to improved seeds and fertilisers to increase crop yields. Such methods have proved unsustainable in the era of climate change, placing many at an increased risk of hunger.

Struggling herself, Ernestina joined The Hunger Project’s efforts at the Adomfe Epicentre to mobilise and train farmers to adopt eco-friendly farming methods to increase agricultural productivity and resilience. After a workshop in sustainable tree planting, she saw the benefits first hand – an increase in yields and surplus to generate income from.

Five years on, Ernestina’s become a full time Agriculture Animator at the epicentre. Equipped with the latest methodologies, she trains cocoa and palm oil farmers on modern planting practices that are transforming their livelihoods.

Under her guidance, farmers in her community have transitioned from random planting to strategic, knowledge-driven cultivation. The tangible difference? A significant uptick in harvests, which means more money for farmers in the Adomfe area. And healthier, drought resistant soil means more protection from the effects of climate change.

“I believe tree planting does not only have economic benefits – it also comes with far greater benefits to the people and the environment. The change I have witnessed has encouraged me to do more. “

Thanks to Ernestina, much of her extended community are now leading more sustainable livelihoods.