Protecting the environment is an essential part of GRID and NEA’s sustainable development program. Communities are closely connected to the environment — many families grow, catch, or hunt their own food — and mismanagement of natural resources immediately affects their livelihoods. Furthermore, the environment in Northern Ghana is particularly fragile, which means that protecting natural resources is a critical factor in achieving sustainable development.
We assess the environmental impacts of all activities that we undertake so that we can be sure that natural resources will be protected. Part of our program includes protecting forests, rivers, and land.
As we implement our programs, activities are closely monitored to ensure minimal negative effects and maximum positive effects.
Here are some of the strategies that we use to enhance the positive environmental impacts of our work:
- We only enter into collaboration with villages after they have agreed to actively participate in protecting the environment
- We incorporate environmental protection training into each sector’s activities
- Activities are closely monitored for their environmental effects by staff and management
- Organic agricultural production is practiced on model farms and gardens
- We collaborate with local government, Environmental Protection Agency and law enforcement agencies to ensure environmental protection laws and by-laws are adhered to.