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The New Crusading GUIDE last Monday began the serialization of the �draft final report� of the Evaluation of SADA-ACICL Afforestation Project issued by the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, University For Development Studies (UDS), Tamale. We promised our readers that if ever we laid hands on the additional work the Faculty had been tasked to undertake; which was focused on determining the actual number of trees planted by ACICL, we would publicise the details for the benefit of the public. We have now accessed a copy of the "Final Report" on the evaluation of the SADA-ACICL Afforestation Project issued by the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, University For Development Studies (UDS), Tamale. The Report dated December 2013 was as a result of a survey of 145 plantation sites within the four(4) SADA Afforestation Zones encompassing 62 administrative districts in 5 Regions. The �Final Report� is distinct from the �Draft Final Report� in terms of indication of the actual number of seedlings and trees planted by ACICL and the production of a chart showing where and when the trees were planted. The survey was spearheaded by a four-member Project Evaluation Team led by Professor S.K. Oppong with Merrs W.J. Asante, D. Tom-Dery and B.N. Baatuuwie as members. They were assisted in the survey by a 5-member support staff and other infrastructure deployed by the UDS. A total of four (4) coordinators, 48 project assistants and 2426 beneficiaries were enumerated in the 145 plantation sites visited. As indicated in the Executive Summary of the Report under reference, the latter sought to validate or otherwise the activities of ACI Construction Limited as contained in the latter's Annual Report For Phase One on the "SADA Initiative On Foresting The Northern Savannah Ecological Zone(NSEZ)". The main tasks were to (1) Determine the percentage survival of planted species on various plantations; (2) Ascertain the silvicultural and management practices implemented in the plantations; (3) Determine acreages planted on various plantations and (4) Verify the performance of contractors engaged on the projects. While highlighting the challenges and weaknesses of the Afforestation Project undertaken by ACI Construction, the Project Evaluation Team noted that "during our verification surveys, it was clear that obligations of the Implementing Organization were to a high extent met according to Section 6 of the terms of the agreement between SADA and ACI Construction Limited...". Beginning from this edition and in subsequent ones, The New Crusading GUIDE, driven by the need to serve the larger public interest and to provide an informed basis for public discourse on the SADA-ACI Construction Afforestation Programme as well as the Joint Venture Guinea Fowl Project between SADA and Asongtaba, will serialize excerpts/extracts of some relevant records such as the UDS SADA Afforestation Project Evaluation Report and Minutes of Board of Directors of the defunct Joint Venture Company(SADA Asongtaba Guinea Fowl Production & Marketing Company Ltd.). Please see page two of this edition for the first in the series of excerpts/extracts from the "Final Report" on the Evaluation Of SADA-ACICL Afforestation Project issued in December 2013 by the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale. EVALUATION OF SADA-ACICL AFFORESTATION PROJECT *Final Report: FACULTY OF RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES, UNIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES, TAMALE *DECEMBER 2013 *EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Planting trees is a novel idea especially in vulnerable environments like the savanna woodlands that characterize the SADA catchment area. SADA envisions a forested and green North intended to achieve climate mitigation and economic prosperity. This report validates or otherwise the activities provided in the ACI Construction Limited�s report on the status of the SADA afforestation project, which would also be used as basis for future monitoring and evaluation of the project. The main tasks were to: *1. Determine the percentage survival of planted species on various plantations *2. Ascertain the silvicultural and management practices implanted in the plantations *3. Determine acreages planted on various plantations *4. Verify the performance of contractors engaged on the projects A total of 145 plantations were surveyed in all the four afforestation zones encompassing 45 old administrative districts in 5 regions covering an acreage of 635.3 ha. Eight tree species were planted in the various operational zones namely; Tectona grandis, Senna siamea, Albizia lebbeck, Khaya senegalensis, Mangifera indica, Anacardium occidentale, Eucalyptus spp. and Moringa oleifera. The total number of seedlings planted was 705,776 and 576,846 survived. Further, 138 plantation sites were not visited by the team but estimated to cover 499.9 ha which is approximately 44% (1142.6 ha) of the projected area. The total number of surviving seedlings was noted to be 452,676, which is about 82% (555,431) of the estimated planted seedlings. The total number of seedlings planted within the programme area was assessed to be 1,262,207 out of which 1,029,522 survived. It was purported in our contract document that 5 million seedlings had been planted. However our study indicated a shortfall of about 3.7 million seedlings. This difference may be accounted for partly by the beating-up (replanting of dead seedlings) of the 2012 planting and/or unplanted seedlings, which were observed during our survey. Management practices employed in the plantations include fencing in a few cases and construction of fire belts. Two main cultural practices were used namely; beating up and the weeding. Overall ACI Construction Limited performed creditably and adhered mostly to the terms of agreement of the contract between the former and SADA. ACICL has offices in all the four zones with the requisite number of staff. They also have the required logistics for the effective implementation of the project. However the team noted that the targeted 5000 project beneficiaries were undersubscribed by 414 people. Some activities listed in the ACICL logical framework was not fully implemented however it was intimated that the logical framework was done to cover a five year period of implementation. The project was observed by the team to have several challenges including irregular weed control on the plantations, destruction of plantations by livestock, difficulties in recruitment, absence of fire belts, insufficient supply and untimely delivery of seedlings, insect pests infestation, irregular planting distance, inadequate supervision, irregular attendance of field assistants, worn-out tools and equipment, problems with land acquisition and ownership of plantations and poorly placed and inadequately labeled billboards. The following recommendations are proposed for consideration: *i. Recruitment of project and field assistants/beneficiaries should be transparent and based on competence to ensure effective and successful implementation of the afforestation project. The field assistants should be recruited from the communities in which the plantations occur to satisfy the objective of job creation and livelihood enhancement at the community level. *ii. The number of field assistants engaged on each plantation should commensurate with the size of land under cultivation. *iii. The project must demonstrate gender equity by ensuring that female field assistants are equally employed for the enhancement of rural livelihoods as envisaged by the proponents of the project. *iv. The use of Eucalyptus spp should be encouraged in waterlogged areas rather than Cassia siamea. It is stressed that site-species matching must be fundamentally pursued *v. Due process must be followed in the acquisition and documentation of land earmarked for the plantations and the ownership of the plantations must also be clearly defined. *vi. Presently all the plantations are community-based. It is being emphasized that private individuals and corporate participation should be encouraged to fulfill the national public-private partnership agenda. *1.0 INTRODUCTION: The cultivation and nurturing of fast-growing and woody trees to protect mainly water bodies and rejuvenate a rapidly depreciating forest cover across the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority�s (SADA) project area does not only mitigate climate change but also create jobs for several idle youth. Ghana in recent years has experienced a sharp decline in the forest cover which has brought in its wake several attendant environmental problems. The situation is exacerbated in the northern savannas, including the three northern regions, parts of the Volta Region and the northern part of the Brong Ahafo Region. The Savannah Accelerated Development Authority is mandated to implement programmes and projects that will propel and sustain the socio-economic and environmental development of the SADA enclave. As part of her development agenda, SADA has embarked on an afforestation project to enhance environmental sustainability and improve the livelihoods of the inhabitants of the project area. This activity is being implemented with a strategic partner, the ACI construction company. This document aims at validating activities listed in the ACI construction�s Limited report sent to SASA and to confirm or otherwise indicate the status of the SADA afforestation project to date. Specifically the terms of reference for the evaluation of the project are to: *1. Determine the percentage survival of planted species on various plantations *2. Ascertain the silvicultural and management practices implemented in the plantations *3. Determine acreages planted on various plantations *4. Verify the performance of contractors engaged on the project. The findings and recommendations provided in this report shall serve as the basis for future monitoring and evaluation of the afforestation project. *2.0 METHODOLOGY: *2.1 DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREA: The study covered the plantation of selected communities (Appendix 7) of the SADA afforestation project area. They include communities from the Northern, Upper East and West, Brong-Ahafo and Volta regions of Ghana (Figure 1). The investigation covered 62 administrative districts in the regions named above. The SADA afforestation project is categorized into four operational zones namely Central Zone, Eastern Zone, Western Zone and the Southern Zone (Fig.2). The Central Zone has plantations mainly in Northern region while the Western Zone has plantations in the Northern and Upper West regions. The Eastern Zone also has plantations in Northern and Upper East regions while the Southern Zone has plantations in Northern, Brong-Ahafo and Volta regions. *2.1 FIELD STUDY: The team visited 145 plantations in communities that were selected by SADA (Appendix 7) and also a few others that were easily accessible. All plantation sites visited were mapped using GARMIN GPSMAP 62 device to determine the acreages planted. Percentage survival of the various species planted was estimated using three 30x30m plots which were laid at random in each plantation by counting the survived individual plants and subtracting that from the expected number planted. Observations of the management and silvicultural practices were also made on the fields. A questionnaire (Appendix 1&2) was administered to Project Assistants and Zonal Coordinators to ascertain the management and silvicultural practices employed on these planted fields. Other information like staff strength as well as challenges militating against the implementation of the project was solicited using structured questionnaire. *2.2 DESK STUDY: Secondary data were gathered from both SADA and ACI Construction Limited. Monthly reports and others such as staff payment schedules and terms of agreement between SADA and ACI Construction Limited were obtained from the latter. SADA also provided the ACICL�s report on the afforestation project and list of all afforestation sites. *2.3 DATA ANALYSIS: The seedling survival and questionnaire data were subjected to descriptive statistics such as percentages. They were also tabulated as well as constructed into graphs. The GPS data points were also tabulated with other data such as species and acreages planted. The GPS coordinates were analysed using ArcGIS software and converted into maps for all the communities surveyed. Number of seedlings planted was estimated by: Number of planted seedlings per hectare = 10,000(m2) Planting distance (m2) Number of surviving seedlings = Number of seedlings planted per hectare x percentage survival For plantations with more than one species, an average of the survival percentages of the various species was used for the estimation of number of surviving seedlings. The estimated planted acreages for the plantation sites that were not visited by the team were calculated using the average percentage coverage of the sites surveyed multiplied by the projected acreages to estimate the acreages planted. Based on the extrapolated acreages, the number of trees planted and those surviving were also calculated. *3.5 OVERVIEW OF ALL THE SADA AFFORESTATION ZONES: A total of 145 plantations were surveyed in all the four afforestation Zones encompassing 45 old (62) administrative districts in the 5 regions. A greater number of communities were surveyed from the Eastern Zone (49) while the least number were surveyed from the Southern Zone (26) (Fig. 10). In all a total of eight tree species were planted in the various afforestation Zones namely; Tectona grandis (Plate 9b), Senna siamea (Plate 9a), Albizia lebbeck, Khaya senegalensis, Magifera indica, Anacardium, occidentale, Eucalyptus spp. and Moringa oleifera. The total acreages mapped (635.3 ha) were lower than the estimated acreages (1714.2 ha) in all the plantation zones as shown in Fig 11. Thus, 37.1% of the reported acreage is under cultivation. The total estimated number of trees planted based on the acreages mapped was 705776 with 576846 surviving. Figure 12 illustrates the number of trees planted in the various plantation zones and the number of surviving trees in these zones. *3.6 PLANTATION SITES THAT WERE NOT SURVEYED: A total number of 138 plantation sites were not visited by the team. Their acreages and estimated number of trees planted and their survival are illustrated in Table 13 below. The extrapolated total acreage was 499.9 ha which is approximately 44% (1142.6 ha) of the estimated value. Further, the total number of survived seedlings was 452,676 which is about 82% (555,431) of the estimated planted seedlings. *3.7 NUMBER OF SEEDLINGS PLANTED AND THEIR SURVIVAL: The total number of seedlings planted within the programme area was assessed to be 1,262,207 out of which 1,029,522 survived. It was purported in our contract that 5 million seedlings had been planted. However our study indicated a shortfall of about 3.7 million seedlings. This difference may be accounted for partly by the beating-up (replacing of dead seedlings) of the 2012 planting and/or unplanted seedlings, which were observed during our survey (Plate 13b). *3.7 ASSESSMENT OF THE PERFORMANCE OF ACICL LIMITED: During our verification surveys, it was clear that obligations of the implementing organization were to a high extent met according to the section 6 of the terms of agreement between SADA and ACI Construction Limited (Appendix 8). 145 plantation sites were visited within the four SADA afforestation zones. Various acreages of land have been acquired, prepared and seedlings planted in the four zones. A total of four (4) coordinators, 48 project assistants and 2426 beneficiaries were enumerated in the 145 plantations visited Fig 13). Payments to beneficiaries have been made to the month ending July, 2013 (Appendix 3). The targeted employment of 5000 youth in the agreement between SADA and ACICL was undersubscribed by 414 (Appendix 4) even though ACICL report to SADA indicated an oversubscription of 496. These youth were employed basically as Field assistants/beneficiaries. The project management is composed of a Project Manager, 1 Technical Advisor, 1 Training and Research coordinator, 4 zonal coordinators, 1 media and communications coordinator, 1 Logistics officer and 2 Training and Research assistants. ACI Construction Limited also employs 4 drivers and 12 security personnel. A total of 42 graduates comprising of the PAs, Coordinators, Project Manager and two others who serve in technical and advisory roles. There are also 16 diploma holders (PAs) who are employed by ACICL as well. Out of the 42 graduates employed by ACICL only 12 graduated from the University for Development Studies. It has been noted that a greater proportion of the obligations according to section 6 of the terms of agreement between SADA and ACI Construction Limited were met. The organization has four operational offices, one each in the four SADA zone that is, Tamale for the Central Zone, Zuarungu for the Eastern Zone, Wa for the Western Zone and Kintampo for the Southern Zone. Each office is headed by the zonal co-ordinator. The organization also has a large stock of assets ranging from pick up vehicles (seven in all for coordinators and management), motorbikes (for project assistants), Tricycles, polytanks (Plate 15 etc. Appendix 5a, b, c and d illustrate the logistics of ACI Constructions Limited. A review of the logistical framework by ACI Construction Limited for the implementation of the SADA afforestation project revealed that four out of the ten outputs were partially implemented (Appendix 6). Output 4, Nursery development was not strictly met since ACI Construction used privately established nurseries in the various zones instead of establishing its own nurseries. Output 8, which focuses on community sensitization on factors that destroy the ecology of the environment was not also strictly adhered to. Sensitization was done in only some communities due to lack of funds and the training manuals were not developed. Output 9 on mitigating strategies to manage risk was partially met. A wildlife jingle has been produced and continues to be played on some local radio stations and awareness created in some communities. Output 10 on incentives for the reduction of wild fire established and other suggestions was not met. Budget for the activity has been drawn awaiting funding. The team learnt that the logical framework was intended to cover a five-year project period and not just the initial contract period of one year. *4.0 CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED DURING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AFFORESTATION PROGRAMME. Despite the attainment of very good survival levels of the planted species, the plantations face a number of challenges which should be addressed as soon as practicable in the face of the impending drought. The challenges include: � Insect and pests infestation: Incidence of ants and termites were evident in some plantations (See Plate 10a and b). If not controlled, could lead to death of tree seedlings or damage to the bole which would result in future tree losses. � Irregular weed control on the plantations: A number of the plantations in the study areas were weedy (Plat 11a and b). Inquiries showed that this situation has arisen as a result of delay in the payment of allowances to the workers. Weeds can affect the general development of the seedlings as they compete for both above and below ground resources thus inhibiting growth and performance of seedlings. Weeds also serve as fuel in the plantations especially during the dry season and can easily be set a blazed. Weeds also encourage insects and rodents attacks which may destroy tree stands. � Destruction of plantations by livestock: The destruction of planted seedlings on plantations by livestock (cattle and goats) was identified in some communities (Plate 12a and b) and poses a serious threat to the establishment of the plantations particularly during the dry season. � Recruitment and training: The recruitment process for the project and field assistants as stipulated in the terms of agreement was not strictly adhered to and therefore resulted in recruiting individuals who were not very suitably cut for the work. Some of the Project Assistants (PAs) do not have the required skills for tree plantation establishment and development. Examples include PAs with degrees in Community Nutrition, HND in Accounting and GCE Ordinary level certificate. Even though ACICL offered basic training in plantation establishment and management they required further training to bring them up to the expected level of competency for the job. � Absence of fire belts in some communities: A few communities have already created fire belts but most communities are intending to create them soon. If this is not done early it can lead to the destruction of seedlings by wild fires during the dry season. � Irregular planting distance: Trees like agricultural crops require proper spacing for healthy growth and good yields (Plate 13a). However, some of the plantations were either overcrowded or poorly spaced. Overcrowding of seedling may affect the diameter, height and basal area growth of the trees in the plantations thus resulting in poor performance of the plantation. Over spacing may lead to poor plant population and subsequent waste of land resources and increased cost in weed control. � Insufficient supply and untimely delivery of Seedlings: Some communities complained of late delivery of seedlings during planting (Plate 13b). Some received seedlings at the time the rain was about to stop (November, 2012). This did not only put a lot of burden on the field assistants but it also led to low survival of seedlings especially those planted in 2012. A few communities did not also receive the expected quantities of seedlings to cover the prepared land area. � Inadequate supervision: Irregular supervision of field assistants in some plantations have translated into poor plantation performance as the necessary management and cultural practices are not carried out by these field workers. � Irregular attendance of field assistants: Reports from various Project Assistants indicated that some of the field assistants did not participate in the field activities but were prompt to go for their allowances. Distance to the plantation site could be the reason for the irregular attendance. For example, all the 45 field assistants engaged at the Soalepe plantation come from Damongo, a distance of 11km which affected work schedules at that site. � Worn-out tools and equipment for plantation maintenance: It was observed that most tools and equipment supplied to the workers are worn-out. For example, cutlass, wellington boots and clothing. � Land acquisition and ownership of plantations: Many of the sites used for the plantations were not properly acquired and documented. In some communities, the trees were planted on the individual and family lands and this could pose a serious problem in future. In such cases, the ownership of the plantation is not well defined as the land area is not covered by any documentation. Hence, improper land acquisition and undefined ownership of plantations could generate future conflicts. � Poorly placed and inadequately labeled billboards: Billboards produced for the plantations were not adequately labeled and their location did not properly give direction to the plantations. The purpose of the billboard is to show the observer where the SADA plantation occurs in the community (Plate 14). If this is not done, the billboard can be moved and placed anywhere and this will hinder auditing and mislead the general public. *5.0 WHAT DO THE FINDINGS TELL US?: The dream of SADA to ameliorate environmental degradation and mitigate climate change as well as create jobs for the unemployed youth in its operational area will not be a mirage but a reality. This is evident as numerous plantations have been established simultaneously across all the administrative districts within the SADA project area. Plantations assessed across the zones have high and diverse spatial coverage and high seedling survival percentage. This implies that cultivation and nurturing of fast-growing woody tree species along water bodies, marginal lands and on degraded lands across SADA operational zones is already in place and growing by the day and it is hoped will help combat environmental degradation, mitigate climate change as well as improve the living standards of the people in the areas through job creation. However, the success or realization of this vision hinges on the proper management of the established plantations. Planting of the trees is just one of the steps but its management is very crucial to the success and fruition of the entire project. Plantation establishment requires more investments in human capital for a long period of time. Hence to have a forested and economically viable north, more financial, physical and human capital commitment is required as well as the elimination of other bottlenecks that may hinder the smooth implementation of the project to achieve the desired goals. The savanna must be greened and greened in peace and in a sustainable manner. Peaceful and sustainable development of these plantations revolves around proper acquisition of land and right definition of the plantation ownership. Our survey has revealed that many of the sites used for the plantations were not properly acquired. Improper land acquisition and undefined ownership of plantations have future implications. This may lead to the abandonment of the plantations and worst of it all, conflicts. *6.0 CONCLUSION: Generally, the percentage survival of the seedlings was good but require good cultural and management practices such as regular weeding, beating up, pest control as well as effective monitoring to enhance the general health of the plantations. Effective control of bushfires in the dry season will be imperative to the survival of the plantations. Therefore, the creation of fire belts must be fundamental in all the plantations. To Be Continued�