Countries: Ghana and Kenya

Lead Partner: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI), Ghana

Summary: EMBRACE is a comprehensive project aimed at improving the livelihoods of 1250 impoverished households in Ghana and Kenya, to achieve a 40% improvement by 2027.

EMBRACE will work with 25 communities to promote sustainable agricultural practices, forest conservation, and community empowerment, targeting significant poverty, biodiversity loss and inequality reduction.

EMBRACE’s approach involves establishing 25 agroforestry model farmsteads that integrate snail, mushroom, and beekeeping production, and training 500 women and youth in sustainable agriculture and nursery management to enable them to produce diverse and nutritious food, generate income, and conserve natural resources. The project will also support community-owned nurseries and revolving funds to promote self-sufficiency, gender equity, and social inclusion.

Additionally, EMBRACE will engage stakeholders such as local governments, community leaders, and the private sector, to influence policies that support resource and biodiversity conservation. Through EMBRACE, communities will be empowered to drive their development and make informed decisions about their natural resources.

The project’s impact will be felt beyond the 25 communities, serving as a model for sustainable development and community-led conservation in Ghana and Kenya. Thus, EMBRACE will contribute to a more just and sustainable world, where communities thrive in harmony with nature.

Photograph (Detail): McKay Savage