On July 16, 2025, Sankana in the Nadowli-Kaleo District of Ghana hosted the main launch of the Global Shea Alliance (GSA) Shea Tree Planting Season with the theme “Plant a Shea Tree, Restore Livelihoods”. The event was chaired by Professor Emmanuel Kanchebe Derbile, Vice-Chancellor of SDD-UBIDS.
Vice-Chancellor’s Address and Environmental Vision
Professor Emmanuel Kanchebe Derbile, Vice-Chancellor of the Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, who chaired the occasion, underscored the critical role of tree planting in safeguarding humanity and restoring ecosystems. He emphasised that trees must not only be planted but nurtured, and called for integration of shea conservation into national policy. He noted that SDD-UBIDS had already planted over 800 seedlings, with more to come.
Professor Derbile advocated for traditional and community leadership in land preservation and was particularly moved by the presence of school children, viewing it as investment in generational consciousness. He called on women to continue supporting the shea preservation efforts.
The event brought together government representatives, community leaders, and development partners to celebrate and promote the restoration of shea parklands. Mr. Kuukaraa Cornelius, the component Manager of the Ghana Shea Landscape Emissions Project (GSLERP), provided a comprehensive overview of the project. Initiated in August 2022, the project aims to plant and grow 3.5 million shea trees over a seven-year period to combat deforestation, mitigate climate change, and restore degraded lands across Ghana’s five northern regions.
The $30.1 million project is funded by the Green Climate Fund and implemented by the Forestry Commission and GSA, with UNDP being the Supervising Entity. Its four pillars include community-based land restoration, commercial shea tree cultivation, forest landscape restoration, and a robust monitoring and evaluation system, Mr. Kuukaraa highlighted.
Sustainability and Community Involvement
Sankana was selected for the launch due to its strategic location, availability of over 100,000 seedlings, community readiness, and access to irrigation via the Sankana Dam. Mr. Kuukaraa emphasised the project’s philosophy of “growing” shea trees, stressing ownership, education, and protection by local communities. Chiefs, elders, women, and youth are expected to be actively involved, with 60 volunteer committees in place.
As of the third year, 6,700 hectares had already been restored and thousands of grafted shea trees with reduced maturity time, planted. According to Mr. Kuukaraa, sustainability is ensured through partnerships with the Forestry Services Division and local ownership models that continue beyond the project’s official lifespan.
SDD-UBIDS’ Contribution
Mr. Desmond Ajungba, the University Tree Planting Project Coordinator, highlighted the University’s involvement, which included the planting of over 20,000 seedlings on its campus. He emphasised SDD-UBIDS’ role in promoting environmental sustainability through education and tree-planting campaigns.
Global Shea Alliance and Development Partner Contributions
Mr. Aaron Adu, Managing Director of Global Shea Alliance (GSA), described the launch as symbolic and transformative. He stressed the importance of blending tradition and innovation to empower women and youth through sustainable land use. GSA’s involvement in the $51 million Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reductions Project (GSLERP) demonstrates a large-scale public-private commitment to restoring 100,000 hectares of degraded land, he added.
Mr. Adu called for urgent action to counter the loss of 80 million trees annually. He introduced the “Action for Shea Parklands” initiative, which aims to plant 10 million shea together with similarly common economic trees and mobilise 10 million women across 10 countries.
Final Reflections and Call to Action
In a powerful address delivered by Professor Tuurosong (Special Assistant to the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament) on behalf of the Speaker, Rt. Honourable Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin, he expressed deep emotional commitment to environmental justice. He warned against illegal mining and unsustainable land use practices, highlighting the spiritual and moral obligation of society to protect shea and similar economic trees. He praised the GSLERP project for its three-pronged approach: restoring degraded land, empowering rural women, and promoting sustainable land management. He urged stakeholders, government, chiefs, women, and youth to see shea restoration as a duty to both current and future generations.
The event concluded with a reaffirmation by the Chairman, Professor Derbile, who emphasised the need for unity and collective action in protecting the environment. The 2025 Shea Tree Planting Season launch thus marks a bold step towards ecological restoration, economic empowerment, and climate resilience in Ghana’s northern savannah ecological zone.