The African Aforestation Association (AAA) has appealed to the government to partner it plant 50 million trees across the country using the waterboxx technology. 

This the association believes conforms with the government’s Greening Ghana initiative to plant 5 million trees nationwide. 

The Waterboxx technology guarantees 90% survival of seedlings as compared to the conventional method of planting. 

Introduced in Germany, the boxx is designed to conserve and supply 50ml water per day to tree seedlings through a fiber tread fixed beneath it for 12 months. 

This would keep the soil around the seedling moist all year round. The boxx also has an additional feature to conserve rainwater.

The technology has proven its efficacy over the years, as the African Aforestation Association has used it to plant trees in the Volta, Greater Accra, and Northern Regions. 

The Programmes Manager of AAA, George Addo believes the technology would contribute achieve better results in reforesting the country to ensure better climate conditions. 

He detailed that the technology which is efficient and affordable protects the seedlings from direct sunlight “and enables the seedling to get its root structure.”

“We are pleading with the government to collaborate with us to plant about 50 million trees by 2030 using the Waterboxx technology”, he appealed. 

In a bid to support the Green Ghana Project, the association members planted Cocoa, Cashew, Mahogany, and Acacia seedlings using the technology at a section of the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange. 

The Chairman of AAA, Togbe Dra-Aboetaka IV, explained the association aims at planting trees to promote afforestation, create jobs, increase food production and promote poverty alleviation. 

“We are planning cocoa at the interchange today to enable tourists to have a sight of the cocoa tree without traveling to the rural areas. It will also give schoolchildren in the city the opportunity to learn about cocoa by visiting the site”, he explained. 

A former Fisheries Minister, Elizabeth Naa Afoley Quaye, who is a Patron and Trustee of AAA, illustrated the efficiency of the Waterboxx technology, adding that it is most needed in areas that experience drought. 

She also implored citizens to take keen interest in the government’s afforestation initiative as it would contribute change the country’s climate. 

“We can see clearly that the rains are not coming because we have lost our forests, the ecosystem has been tampered with. So we are pleading with everybody to join hands with us to green Ghana”, she said.