Ten public and private institutions in Ghana will share a GH¢7 million Canadian grant aimed at tackling environmental degradation, restoring forests and increasing opportunities for women across the forest value chain.
The five-year partnership with Lakehead University will train 36 Ghanaians in wood science and technology, remote sensing and geomatics, ecological remediation and forestry. It is intended to create more local capacity for sustainable natural resource management.
The participating public universities are the University of Ghana, KNUST, University of Cape Coast, UDS, the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) and the CSIR College of Science and Technology.
The other partners are the Forestry Commission, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s FORIG, Samartex Timber and Plywood Company and the Charcoal Chamber of Commerce – Ghana.
The funding comes through the Global Affairs Canada BCDI 2030 project, an $80 million programme supporting 26 countries across Africa.
Professor Mathew Leitch, the project’s Principal Investigator at Lakehead University’s Faculty of Natural Resources Management, said Ghana could receive further support from the Canadian government.
“The Global Affairs Canada BCDI project is an eight-year programme that has $80 million in funding across all of the different projects, and there are 26 nations in Africa that are part of this programme,” he said.
“I’m bringing about GH¢7m to Ghana on this one grant. This is not the only one we’re going to get, trust me.”
Professor Leitch was speaking at a media briefing in Kumasi on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. He said the initiative built on a relationship with the Canadian Economic Development Agency that began in 1992.
“The idea is to train lots of people and hopefully improve the lives of all Ghanaians and the environment here,” he said.
He said Canadian technology would be applied to challenges including illegal mining and deforestation, combining remote sensing with forestry, wood science, replanting, reclamation, remediation and afforestation.
Future remote sensing and geomatics courses will focus on Ghana’s specific needs. A one-month session is planned for approximately eight participants from different institutions, while senior executives will also be involved to help ensure the training is implemented effectively.
The scheme includes full scholarships for three Master’s students at Lakehead University and tailored certificate programmes for 23 early to mid-career officers.
Professor Mrs Mercy Afua Adutwumwaa Derkyi, Head of the Centre for Climate and Gender Studies at UENR’s School of Natural Resources, said the partnership would strengthen knowledge, skills, networking and institutional relationships.
The Forestry Commission hopes the training will improve its response to illegal mining, farming and settlements in forest reserves, which cover 15% of Ghana.
“We have illegal mining. We have illegal farming. We have people putting up settlements in our forest reserves,” said Valerie Fumey Nassah, the Commission’s Director of Operations, Plantations.
“So if we are able to monitor in real time, we will be able to ensure that we reduce the degradation of our forest reserves.”
At least 51% of those taking part in the training will be women, a requirement Ms Nassah described as unusual and welcome.
Samartex Head of Forestry Department Justice Eshun said the company would use the partnership to study lesser-known timber species, including ‘Esa’ and ‘Esiaa’, and develop them into viable, sought-after species.
