Upfield, a plant-based food company has begun the planting of shea and other indigenous trees in the North East Region to promote a sustainable environment.
The company has planted trees at Tinguri, Gbimsi, Sayoo, and Saadaafong in the Northern Region in collaboration with Eco Restore Ltd, a landscape restoration business in the country.
Chiefs, women and youth leaders joined officials of the company in the exercise.
Upfield and its partner will also monitor the survival of the seedlings for two years.
The tree-planting exercise formed part of Upfield’s second phase Shea Sustainability Project which was launched in the country in December last year.
Upfield’s Global Director of Sustainability and ESG, Sally Smith, said: “The global food system has to be transformed from what we choose to eat to how it is grown. We have an essential part to play, as the window of opportunity to make a real impact on climate change has started to close.”
She said the company intended to plant 6,000 trees in northern Ghana over the next three years to enhance the livelihoods of smallholders and plant-based entrepreneurs.
“With shea being one of the core ingredients of our products, we are proud to be part of such an important project that will support the long-term sustainability of the crop,” the director added.
The Chief of Saadaafong, Jarigbandaana Abdulai Sulemana, gave an assurance that the community would engage all stakeholders, including livestock caretakers, to ensure total protection of the trees.