Proforest presents 22 motorbikes to boost forest protection in Ahafo Region

Proforest has presented 22 motorbikes to the Ahafo Regional Forestry Commission to bolster forest patrols, enhance access to remote forest areas, and support restoration efforts in the Asunafo-Asutifi landscape. This donation is part of the Support for Forest Protection and Rehabilitation in the Asunafo-Asutifi Landscape project, which is a key component of the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme.

The project, backed by Mondelēz International, Barry Callebaut, and Sainsbury’s Supermarket, aims to rehabilitate around 450 hectares of severely degraded forest reserve areas, with a special emphasis on the Asutifi North Sub-Hotspot Intervention Area.

The newly acquired motorbikes will enable field officers to traverse challenging terrain, respond more swiftly to illegal activities, and monitor restoration sites more consistently. Ghana's cocoa-producing landscapes continue to battle with issues such as degradation, encroachment, and limited access for frontline officers. The motorbike donation exemplifies how private sector investment in cocoa sustainability can result in tangible actions for forest protection, climate resilience, and deforestation-free cocoa production.

Abraham Baffoe, Proforest's Global and Africa Director, stated, "This support will enhance the Forestry Commission’s ability to protect forest reserves and monitor restoration activities across the landscape." He added, "By improving mobility for frontline officers, we are helping to strengthen day-to-day forest protection, safeguard restoration investments and advance practical action toward climate-resilient, deforestation-free cocoa landscapes."

Rev. Edward Opoku Antwi, the Ahafo Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission welcomed the donation and expressed how the motorbikes would make a direct difference to field operations. "These motorbikes come at a critical time for forest protection in the region," he said. "They will help our officers reach remote areas more quickly, improve surveillance of the reserves and support the restoration work taking place in the Asunafo-Asutifi landscape."