Ghana’s Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah on Thursday said the country is leveraging tree-planting to lead its transition into a sustainable economy by restoring degraded lands.
Buah said during the launch of the 2026 Tree-For-Life tree-planting program that the initiative is more than just planting tree seedlings but also nurtures the seedlings into maturity, “because, as we know, a seedling is a promise.” A mature tree is a legacy.”
The Tree-for-Life program forms part of Ghana’s commemoration of the International Day of the Forest, which falls on March 21.
“We are creating a green asset base that can generate carbon credits, attract green investments, and create high-value jobs while cleaning our air and regulating our climate,” the minister highlighted.
According to him, more than 30 million seedlings were planted under the initiative in 2025, and “this was a people-powered achievement that created over 41,000 green jobs.”
“We salute our 2000-plus Youth Forest champions, over 3000 farmers in the Modified Taungya System (MTS), a sustainable agroforestry program that partners with local farmers to reforest degraded lands, and thousands of industries in the private sector who made this happen,” he added.
Buah announced that the 2026 program targets planting at least 30 million tree seedlings, as was done last year, as efforts continue to nurture and preserve those planted earlier.
“No matter how much it costs, we must protect these young trees from bushfires, illegal logging, encroachment, and activities like illegal mining, which we are tackling head-on,” Buah urged.
To the private sector, the minister urged, “We challenge you to see sustainability, not as cost, but as the most strategic investment for your long-term service to the society.”
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Ghana Representative Priya Gujadhur commended the Ghanaian government for showing strong leadership through the tree-for-life program, which the FAO is supporting.
“This initiative reflects Ghana’s commitment to restoring degraded landscapes while creating jobs and opportunities for its people,” Gujadhur added.
She noted that “forests contribute significantly to Ghana’s economy by supporting agriculture, providing raw materials, generating employment, and sustaining millions of rural livelihoods, especially for women and youth.”
According to the official, FAO is, therefore, supporting Ghana to strengthen the forest-based economy through sustainable forest management, restoration, and value chain development.