By Alex Ababio
Illegal mining in the Adansi region has caused severe damage, leading to increased food costs and significant hardships for local farmers. These farmers, whose livelihoods depend solely on agriculture, have faced escalating challenges due to land degradation caused by such activities.
Soil degradation is a major concern for tropical agriculture, primarily because it depletes essential nutrients from the soil.
In response to these challenges and the threat of increased hunger and poverty, AngloGold Ashanti’s Obuasi Mine initiated the Climate Resilient Oil Palm Project (CROPP) in 2022. This initiative aims to foster sustainable development and tackle climate change impacts across six local assemblies: Obuasi Municipal, Obuasi East District, Adansi Akrofuom District, Adansi North District, Adansi Asokwa District, and Adansi South District.
Collaborating with Solidaridad West Africa, the CROPP project has successfully restored around 200 hectares of degraded land by planting 30,000 oil palm seedlings. Daniel Arthur-Bentum, Economic Development Superintendent at AngloGold Ashanti, stated, “Encouraged by the initial success, we distributed 60,000 additional oil palm seedlings to farmers in May 2024 to further rehabilitate the affected lands.”
Arthur-Bentum highlighted the goal of rehabilitating 1,000 hectares of degraded land, using oil palm as a primary crop.
Soil Testing
Measuring soil or land degradation directly is challenging. Instead, assessments use biological and physico-chemical indicators. Phase II of the CROPP project is now conducting a thorough evaluation of degraded lands and various land uses, including food crops, oil palm, cashew, cocoa, and secondary forest, to establish baseline soil carbon levels.
Edward Kyere from Solidaridad West Africa explained, “This assessment will provide essential data for modeling CROPP’s effectiveness in enhancing resilience and mitigating climate change impacts.” He emphasized the importance of soil sampling and lab testing to determine the land’s nutrient content needed for successful plant growth.
Community Engagement
Kwabena Addo, Economic Development Officer at AngloGold Ashanti, remarked, “To achieve the CROPP project’s goals, we’ve organized community members into cooperatives who have shown great enthusiasm for the project.” He added that efforts are being made to work with stakeholders to educate the public on preventing re-mining of reclaimed areas.
Voices of Gratitude
Isaac Forkuo, a farmer from Mampamhwe in the Obuasi East District and an active participant in the CROPP project, expressed his satisfaction with the progress. “The extent of land degradation from illegal mining was alarming, but I’m thrilled that the CROPP project is effectively restoring the land to make it arable again,” Forkuo said.