A new agroforestry initiative is encouraging women cocoa farmers to protect the environment by creating personal connections with trees they plant, as part of efforts to build climate-resilient cocoa farms in Ghana.
The Tree Personal Emotional Trust (Tree-PET) initiative, led by Madam Helena Esi Hasford, uses storytelling and emotional attachment to motivate vulnerable women in cocoa-growing communities to nurture trees and integrate sustainable practices into their farming activities.
Madam Hasford explained that beneficiaries are encouraged to give each tree a personal name linked to their experiences, loved ones, memories or future aspirations, transforming the seedlings into valued assets they feel responsible for protecting.
She said the approach has helped change the perception of trees from ordinary farm inputs into meaningful possessions that farmers are committed to preserving for environmental and economic benefits.
According to her, the initiative is addressing a major challenge in cocoa production, where shade and timber trees are often neglected despite their importance in improving biodiversity, reducing climate risks and supporting compliance with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
Beyond environmental conservation, the programme also supports women’s economic empowerment by enrolling participants in Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs).
Through the savings groups, women receive training in financial management, savings and entrepreneurship, while weekly stipends over a 50-week period help improve the survival rate of newly planted trees.
Madam Hasford said savings accumulated through the programme are distributed at the end of each cycle, providing women with capital to establish or expand small businesses.
She added that the initiative has the potential to develop into a payment for ecosystem services or carbon credit programme, allowing farmers to earn additional income from the environmental value generated by the trees they nurture.
The Tree-PET initiative is currently being piloted by the Asetena Pa Co-operative Cocoa Farming and Marketing Union in four communities across the Suhum and Ayensuano districts.
The project forms part of efforts to establish a climate-smart cocoa cooperative while helping farmers meet international sustainability requirements.
Madam Hasford appealed to development partners and stakeholders to support the expansion of the programme to more cocoa-growing areas to promote climate-smart agriculture and environmental conservation.
Meanwhile, Madam Cynthia Tetteh, a Field Officer with Asetena Pa Cocoa Cooperative, has encouraged women and young farmers to embrace tree planting as a key strategy for improving cocoa production and protecting farms against the effects of climate change.
She explained that shade trees help regulate temperatures on cocoa farms, protect cocoa plants from excessive sunlight and create healthier conditions for improved yields.
Madam Tetteh, who works directly with farmers, said she regularly trains and supervises cocoa growers on climate-smart practices, including pruning, weeding and proper farm management.
She said the Tree-PET concept had encouraged farmers to develop a stronger sense of responsibility toward trees by giving them personal identities, resulting in better care and survival.
She urged more women and young people in cocoa-growing communities to participate in tree planting initiatives, stressing that protecting the environment is essential to securing the future of Ghana’s cocoa industry.
