To sustainably manage its forests, Ghana needs to look at alternative sources of timber such as the importation of logs as well as investing in agroforestry.

According to an article in Modern Ghana, the country's forests cannot sustainably meet the demand for wood for housing and construction which is increasing as the country’s oil economy drives infrastructure development.

Ghana’s reduction in forest cover has been in part driven by a policy to only reserve a small portion of forests to support cocoa production and other agricultural activities. But with climate change expected to threaten cocoa production in Ghana and other West African countries, it is critical that forest resources be better managed.

The government is looking into how areas outside reserves can be managed sustainably, such as through agroforestry, tree planting and urban planting. It is also expected that the government will consider providing access to land and finance to promote tree planting as well as the importation of logs.

Read the full story: Reality of forest reservation dawns on Ghana to sustain cocoa production