The Frimpong Manso Institute (FMI) has advocated enhanced sustainable agricultural practices to conserve Ghana's forest and other natural habitats.

The Institute says enhanced sustainable agricultural practices would also help restore the country's degraded lands.

Dr. George Manful, Thematic Chair, Environment and Sustainability, FMI, said this in a press release to commemorate this year's World Environment Day (WED).

WED is the biggest annual celebration of the environment, highlighting crucial environmental challenges.

The theme for this year's celebration is "Our Land, Our Future", with a focus on issues of land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience.

Dr. Manful said to meet the ever-growing demand for food and tree crops such as cocoa, rubber, oil palm, mango, citrus, coffee, cashew, many had expanded agricultural practices, an act that had contributed significantly to deforestation and land degradation.

He also noted that illegal logging for commercial purposes, including timber production, also contributed to deforestation.

Dr Manful said Ghana is currently ranked second in Africa and fourth in the world among the top suppliers of rosewood logs to China by volume and described it as worrying and that the country would be found wanting soon if those activities were not nipped in the bud.

He asked the government to minimise the demand for fuelwood by discouraging the use of traditional cooking stoves and encourage the citizenry to adopt alternative, affordable and reliable energy appliances, and sources such as improved cookstoves, LPG, biogas and solar.

Dr Manful urged the government and all relevant stakeholders to disseminate, promote and drive the implementation of various policies, measures, and strategies for reducing deforestation and forest degradation.

He also called for restoration of degraded areas and enhanced food production, and the dissemination of climate-smart agriculture technologies at the community level.