Hεn MPOANO: Western Ghana Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance

ICFG: Improving Governance in the Amanzule Wetlands Focal Area

The central aim of this activity is to explore and test ways to strengthen the governance of  at the District and coastal community level in The Greater Amanzule Wetlands in the coastal plain of Jomoro and Ellembelle Districts. This area is probably the most biologically rich wetland area of Ghana, yet it has no formal recognition as a conservation area of importance and there is no management plan for the conservation of its unique habitats and biodiversity. The Amanzule Focal Area is also the location for addressing the issue of outbreaks of damaging green algae blooms, vulnerability of coastal communities to climate change and natural hazards, and exploring the feasibility of participating in Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries, REDD+.

The establishment of a large community, co-managed protected area is being advanced to help address the threats posed by the extractive industries sector. The paramount chiefs of the traditional area covering most of wetlands (Awulae Annor Adjae III and Awulae Amihere Kpanyili III), support conservation and gaining protected area status for the area—as long as it is co-managed with clear roles for the communities, the chiefs, and the two districts. This has created the opportunity for a bi-district collaboration using an approach that engages stakeholders and brings policy through a cycle that proceeds from issue identification, to analysis and plan formulation, culminates in formal adoption and proceeds on to implementation and review.