Reinforcing reforestation: The Blue deal in Ghana

Blue Deal

World Waternet has been actively involved in the Blue Deal; an international programme of the 21 Dutch Water Boards in cooperation with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. Blue Deal is active in 14 countries, including Ghana.

In Ghana, we work with national and regional water authorities to improve local water management practices. Part of this collaboration is a large reforestation project, in collaboration with Trees for All and Tree Aid. This collaboration was initiated by Jaap Bos, former chairman of the board of Trees for All and working for Waternet.

Water and trees

Jaap Bos: "In the Blue Deal programme, I am coordinator of the project in Northern Ghana, one of the driest regions in Africa. Our aim is to support the Water Resources Commission in Ghana in setting up a sustainably managed water system. Deforestation has caused many problems, including soil erosion, erosion of riverbanks, blockage of irrigation canals and lowering of groundwater levels. For a sustainable water system, restoring the ecosystem is a top priority, and reforestation is crucial. Based on this need, we reached out to Trees for All. By combining the water management plans with the reforestation process, the project is optimally supported and sustained."

Together we can create more impact

The Blue Deal programme allows long-term partnerships that run until 2030. The Blue Deal sees this long-term commitment as an important precondition for bringing about sustainable changes in the water boards in Ghana. The same applies to Trees for All. By working together, we can make a real impact.

Jaap Bos: "From my perspective as a 'water authority', I see the major benefit of this project as being that reforestation is a solid pillar in the creation of a sustainable water system in a very dry region. A region where water scarcity is one of the biggest problems and causes malnutrition, unemployment and migration. By planting trees in this area, the circle is closed and the balance can be restored.”

Local involvement as a success factor

Only with the support of the local population can a forest planting project be successful. This is a vision that Trees for All and the Blue Deal share: "In my view, reforestation is much more than just planting trees. It's not just about capturing CO₂, but also about the contribution of trees to the recovery of the ecosystem, the biodiversity, the improvement of the water system and certainly the improvement of the living conditions of the local population.”

The reforestation project Bongo meets all these requirements. The local implementation partner Tree Aid is an experienced organisation with a strong local network. They will train 400 farmers in sustainable forest management, who will in turn train 1,200 other farmers. This way, the reforestation project will be a project of and for the local population.

World Waternet is CO₂ partner with Trees for All

Since 2019, World Waternet is CO₂ partner with Trees for All. In 2020, we have again compensated all our flights' carbon emission through planting trees. This way, we try to be as circular as we can be. In 2020, the global pandemic has minimised our travel movements. This has resulted in a significantly lower emission donation (2020 Certificate). That’s why we have decided to donate an extra 700 trees (dDonation Certificate) to the Ghana project of Trees for All.