Climate Change Resilience of Ecosystem Services

Project summary

The project ‘Climate Change Resilience of Ecosystem Services (CRES)’ aims to increase foodand income diversity and climate change resilience of agricultural systems in West Africa. The focus is on six highly important, native multipurpose trees (Adansonia digitata, Bombax costatum, Sclerocarya birrea, Lannea spp, Ziziphus mauritiana and Parkia biglobosa). These species are traditionally used and have potentials to improve livelihoods of rural and urban communities. CRES will focus on the full value-chain which includes 1) to find the best varieties of these six species for domestication, production and adaptation to climate change, 2) to establish tree planting with carbon certification and selling of socially responsible carbon credits via Plan Vivo, 3) to find new potentials of products from these six tree species for local use and for industry based on analysis of chemical content and properties, 4) to empower local women and youth in rural and urban settings via support to produce new and value-added products, 5) to strengthen existing and new market linkages and diversify rural and urban income through innovative product marketing, 6) to disseminate widely and improve policies on sustainability and climate change resilience and 7) to build capacity at university level and collaboration among three African universities. The project has nine partners: four universitiesand five private companies. The partners compose a team with strong fieldwork and laboratory experience and knowledge in ecology, economy, food sciences and gender/youth aspects as well as production in close collaboration with local women groups. One partner is specialized in video production and dissemination, as it is a main focus to disseminate results at all levels: local communities, the public, scientific communities, policy makers and national institutions.

Outputs

First year report:
CRES aims to improve and diversify local income potentials in Ghana and Burkina Faso through a selection of best varieties of native tree species, value-added products and innovative marketing. It has a website (https://cres.green/) to support results dissemination and implemented 9 partners (4 universities and 5 private organisations) from Ghana, Burkina Faso and Denmark. 12 PhD and 8 Master students were recruited in November 2021 into study programmes and working on different research topics in Ghana and Burkina Faso.
Progress of CRES include:
a. Reconnaissance to study sites and qualitative assessment of species presence conducted in Ghana; identification of study sites in Provinces of Boulkiemde (Koudougou) and Sissili (Leo) done.
b. Data collection instruments under preparation, drone-based assessment training done and field sampling initiated.
c. Ethnobotanical surveys, dendrometric data, ecological traits, etc being undertaken in Burkina Faso sites.
d. Secondary partners and communities discussion on nursery establishment and familiarization with women groups done in Ghana whilst contact has started with actors in the value chain of Baobab in Burkina Faso.
e. Research article titled “Local perceptions of available varieties of S. birrea and Z. mauritiana in the sudanian zone” drafted for publication.
f. First CRES Steering Committee Meeting was held in December 2021.
g. CRES Consortium Agreement signed between 4 implementing University partners in December 2021.