In the heart of the Ashanti Region, the Antwi-Agyeikrom community is becoming a model of grassroots resilience and innovation—thanks to a simple but powerful idea: growing trees can also grow livelihoods.
As part of the Partnerships for Forest Protection and Livelihood in a Changing Climate—popularly known as the Gower Street Project—RAIN has been working with Modified Taungya System (MTS) farmers and community members to tackle two urgent needs: forest restoration and income diversification.
In January 2025, the RAIN team, led by Director Mrs. Doreen Asumang-Yeboah, met with over 30 community members to explore a solution to restoring portions of the degraded forest: local nursery establishment. The idea was simple but transformative—create a community-managed nursery to raise seedlings for future tree-planting efforts, while providing alternative livelihood options, especially for women.
Inspired by the success of a similar nursery in Aboabogya, participants embraced the concept with enthusiasm, and a site was selected with the help of local leaders and COCOBOD nursery expert, Theodora Boakye.
Fast forward to April 2025, and the once-empty plot has blossomed into a 10,000-capacity nursery filled with Cedrela and a few Terminalia superba (Ofram) seedlings. The establishment of the nursery marks a major milestone not only in restoring forest cover but also in building community ownership. Mr. Osei Yaw Paul, the site overseer, now manages seedling production and leads a transparent distribution system to track where and how each seedling is planted.
This monitoring mechanism not only promotes accountability but also empowers farmers to take pride in the survival of their trees. RAIN remains committed to mobilizing resources, refining practices, and responding to the needs of farmers who are determined to make the nursery thrive.
This initiative reflects RAIN’s core belief: that sustainable environmental solutions must be rooted in the realities of rural communities. By integrating climate-smart forestry with local economic empowerment, the Gower Street Project in Antwi-Agyeikrom is not just planting trees—it is sowing seeds of hope, agency, and lasting change.
