Empowering Communities: Workshop on Livelihood Assessment for Dusornu Community Resource Management Area (CREMA) in Ghana

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From the 8th to the 12th of April 2024 in Ghana, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and AU-IBAR are working together in empowering communities within the Dusornu Community Resource Management Area (CREMA). The context for this workshop lies within the broader framework of the 'Management of Mangroves Forests from Senegal to Benin' Project, a substantial endeavour undertaken by IUCN funded by the European Union. Spanning from 2019 to 2024, this project aims to conserve and protect the delicate ecosystems of mangroves in West Africa, spanning nine countries including Ghana.

Under this project, IUCN and AU-IBAR (through the Conserving Aquatic Biodiversity in the Africa Blue Economy Project, with funding from the Swedish International Development Coorperation Agency) are working hand in hand to implement gender-specific activities, particularly focusing on aquatic biodiversity management in Ghana. Their collaborative efforts are geared towards enhancing governance structures within the Dusornu CREMA, nestled within the Anlo-Keta Lagoon Ramsar/Landscape Site.

The primary objective of the workshop is to conduct a preliminary socio-economic livelihood needs assessment within the Dusornu CREMA. This gender-sensitive assessment is facilitating the identification and prioritization of key livelihood options, ensuring community consensus and empowerment. The workshop aims to achieve the following objectives:

• Facilitate a comprehensive socio-economic livelihood needs assessment through focus group discussions and key informant interviews.
• Identify and prioritize livelihood options endorsed by the community.
• Develop a detailed report documenting the prioritized livelihood options, incorporating inputs, feedback, and recommendations gathered during the workshop.

The workshop is engaging members of the Community Resource Management Committees (CRMCs), Community Executive Committee (CEC), and representatives from the Dusornu community, including women, men, and youth. Relevant stakeholders are being contacted and provided with necessary information regarding their participation.

The workshop represents a significant milestone in the journey towards community empowerment and sustainable livelihoods within the Dusornu CREMA. By fostering collaboration and participatory decision-making, this initiative embodies the collective commitment to conservation and equitable development in Ghana and contributing to the broader implementation of the Africa Blue Economy Strategy.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR).