Enhancing Territorial Governance, Sea Turtle Conservation and Sustainable Livelihood

Background

The Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site (KLCRS) is located in the Volta Region in the South East of Ghana and covers six District/Municipalities (Keta, Anloga, Akatsi South, South Tongu, Ketu North, Ketu South). The KLCRS is the largest lagoon in Ghana with different ecosystems like brackish water, flood plains, marshland and mangrove swamps and magnificent beaches. The site is home to important biodiversity with about 80% of Ghana water birds; sea turtles ( including the three threatened species in Ghana- Green Turtle, Leatherback and Olive Ridley); the West Africa Sitatunga; West Africa Manatee; and different species of fishes, crabs, shrimps, crocodiles among others. The Leatherback recognized by IUCN as critically endangered is the most commonly seen especially between November-February during night surveys.

The major problem on natural resources and biodiversity conservation especially sea turtles and mangroves in the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site is the lack of proper coordination, community involvement, governance, management and livelihood practices. This has led to some volunteers out of passion such as the sea Turtle Conservation, the Wildlife and Suncity Youths, Wildlife Division and the Keta Municipal Assembly taking up patrols at low scale.

To support their efforts, The DI has designed a project focused on improving local governance and community-led management of the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site ((KLCRS) as well as introduce sustainable alternative forms of livelihood to promote conservation.

Project Goal

The project seeks to improve community-led governance of the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site (KLCRS) to catalyse long-lasting conservation of local biodiversity

Specific objectives

• To strengthen local governance of natural resources and biodiversity
• To reinforce the effectiveness of community-led management of natural resources and biodiversity
• To promote sustainable pen culture value chain as incentive for both livelihoods and conservation of KLCRS

Justification

Environmental issues in the entire KLCRS are enormous. Some of these are the presence of salinity, plastic pollution, semi-finished houses due to high salinity, lack of fresh drinking water, lack of other sources of fuel wood, haphazard fishing, poaching of sea turtles and cutting of mangroves. These situations are deteriorating due to the lack of proper coordination of governance and skills i.e. weak governance and skills of local communities and their involvement. The management system in place at the moment (community volunteers, wildlife Division and NGOs) is not sustainable enough. Additionally some government authorities such as the Police, Navy, Judges, and Magistrates are not well informed about the environmental laws governing marine and sea turtles and therefore allow defaulters to go free without punishment and/or sanctions. There is also a lack of livelihood management value chain on mangrove harvesting and fishing for both domestic use and income generation. In the entire landscape, other anthropogenic activities that are on-going are farming, transport, and salt extraction. There is also an increasing threat of oil exploration, commercial agriculture, salt and phosphate mining. Thus, the KLCRS is under serious threat that may result in huge ecosystems degradation considering the fact that all its waters comes from the Volta River and drains into the Gulf of Guinea.

Project Strategy

The project objectives will be achieved through sensitization and awareness creation campaigns on sea turtles and mangrove conservation in beneficiary communities. Communities will be grouped at community levels using the Community Resources Management Areas (CREMA) approach where Community Resource Management Committees (CRMC) will be reactivated and CREMA Executive Committees (CEC) established. All CEC and CRMC members will be empowered on the legal framework of CREMA and advocacy to take decisions and defend community rights on CREMAs, sea turtles and mangrove management in the area. Prominent stakeholders such as Judges, Magistrates, Navy, Police, Wildlife Division staff among others will be trained on national legislations about environmental crime to give them adequate knowledge to prosecute defaulters.

Project Location

Although this project will be implemented within the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site, the main area of intervention will be at the south western corner covering five (5) communities within the Anloga District: Akplortorkor, Agbledomi, Atiteti, Fuveme, and Dzita. The Anyanui estuary will be used as an intervention site for sea turtles that get out of the lagoon. This area is located at Lat. 5.775 N, Long.  0.766 E covering approximately 1500 ha out of the approximately 4000 ha of coastline from Keta to Anyanui estuary

Target group?

Expected Outcomes

• 300-500 people sensitized on CREMA and sea turtles and mangrove protection issues in Five (5) communities
• Five (5) Community Resource Management Committee (CRMC) reactivated and one (1) CREMA Executive Committee (CEC) set up
• Five (5) action plans regarding sea turtle and its habitat conservation developed
• 2 000 hectares of land (as the CREMA area) demarcated and mapped out for conservation purposes
• At least 100 people composed of Judiciary, Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission officers, the Navy, Marine Police, etc. are trained on national legislation regarding environmental crime to allow them appropriately prosecute offenders
• Effective patrols being undertaken on the 20 kilometers of beach within the project area mainly during the peak nesting season
• Promotion of a pen culture value chain through training ;the provision of three (3) starter kits composed of pen and feed; and support to farmers to sell their products
• A CREMA conservation fund established with funds derived from the value chain

Project Duration

April 2020 to June 2021

Local Partners

Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, Anloga District Assembly, Anlo Traditional Council

Funding Organisation

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), France – PPI