A new wave of young environmental leaders has emerged from the AIM4FOREST Young Forest Champions programme, a three-day capacity-building workshop held in Accra from 5–7 November 2025. The initiative, organised by the Forestry Commission of Ghana, the FAO, and the World Food Forum Ghana Chapter, aims to equip young people with the knowledge and practical skills needed to drive community-based forest restoration and climate action.
Participants engaged in roundtable dialogues on forest governance and environmental sustainability, alongside practical training in field data collection. Facilitators emphasised that youth are central to advancing Ghana’s long-term forest management and climate resilience goals.
FAO Ghana Communications Officer David Youngs urged the cohort to become active changemakers: “The forest is our life… you are leading change. You are the voice of AIM4FOREST.”
The programme culminated in a field visit to the Atiwa Forest Reserve in Kibi, where participants planted trees and applied their new skills under the guidance of Forestry Commission officials. District Manager Alfred Owusu and Assistant Manager Sylvester Agyemang Prempeh briefed the group on forest protection challenges, from illegal mining to encroachment, and encouraged them to take ownership of Ghana’s environmental future.
AIM4FOREST’s latest cohort signals a growing movement of youth poised to influence policy, restoration efforts, and the national conversation on sustainable forest management.
Story: Effah Mensah
