This is precisely the old-fashioned development mindset that aims to keep poor people on their tiny farms for a little while longer, while poor rural people themselves are looking for other forms of livelihood away from farms.

Since the article mentions Rwanda, it is worth noting that the Rwandan government’s much larger initiative targets high-tech industrialisation as a way to create well-paying employment. This approach holds much more promise for better standards of living than keeping poor people on tiny farms. Comfortable living standards in towns also usually leads to better educational and health opportunities, smaller families, and slower population growth. This would really solve the problem, rather than just postpone it for a few more years.

While farming systems improvements (call it a ‘landscape approach’ if you will) is a good thing, it is not the most direct or effective way to address the problem of conflict between poor people over limited land resources. To really address the problem, we would need to talk about overall economic modernisation.

We sent you our proposal and would be very grateful if you could consider
it.

The project will be entitled “Community outreach through the development
of
agroforestry nurseries and reafforestation”.

The project will take place in the region west of the plateau in TOGO
VOLTA
REGION near the border of GHANA’s hinterland. The project aims to be of
importance to climate change mitigation and its adaptation,to protect environment, biodiversity and ecosystem , to combat
poverty in our area of operation.

The strategy that we will adopt includes extension, outreach,
environmental
education and conservation, planting, creating new nursery sites
and monitoring forestry growers.

The aim of the plantation forestry community project we are setting up
will
be the reforestation of an entire area.

We ask any organisation involved in the forestry industry to consider our
project from a climate change certification perspective and/ or the
sponsorship of our community that will be growing the plants.

We would also be very grateful for any contact details of organisations
that you are aware of – that we could contact for support.

Hoping for your favorable reply.

THANKS
Eklo Kossi Nogbe