The Obuasi Municipal Assembly has officially launched a project to map degraded lands across the municipality as part of a broader initiative to restore areas destroyed by illegal mining and transform them into greenhouse farms to create sustainable jobs for residents.
The project was launched during an inception meeting held on Thursday, July 16, 2026, under the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme (GSCSP) Capacity Support Grant. The exercise marks the first phase of a long-term plan to identify degraded lands, reclaim them and use them for climate-smart agriculture.
The meeting brought together officials of the Municipal Assembly, traditional authorities, assembly members, unit committee members, technical experts and other stakeholders to discuss the project’s implementation strategy and expected outcomes.
Restoring Lands Destroyed by Illegal Mining
Speaking at the meeting, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Obuasi, Hon. Faustilove Appiah Kannin, said illegal mining activities have left many lands within the municipality degraded and unusable.
She explained that through support from the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme, the Assembly intends to reclaim such lands by filling and levelling abandoned mining pits before establishing greenhouse farms on them.
She added that the project will help provide fresh and safe vegetables for residents while reducing dependence on food supplies from outside the municipality.
According to the MCE, the initiative is expected to create employment opportunities while restoring the environment.
“Illegal miners leave many lands badly destroyed without restoring them. Through this project, we want to reclaim these lands and establish greenhouse farms that will create jobs and improve livelihoods,” she said.
Project to Address Youth Unemployment
Municipal Planning Officer Prince Owusu Agyemang, who is also the focal person for the project described the mapping exercise as the foundation of the entire project.
He noted that youth unemployment remains one of Obuasi’s biggest development challenges, forcing many young people to engage in illegal mining.
Although agriculture has the potential to absorb a large number of unemployed youth, he revealed that only about 10 percent of residents are currently engaged in farming.
He explained that many young people are reluctant to practice traditional agriculture, making greenhouse farming a more attractive alternative.
“Gold alone cannot sustain Obuasi. We need to diversify our local economy, and modern agriculture presents a great opportunity,” he said.
Five Pilot Communities Selected
Mr. Agyemang disclosed that between now and September 2026, the Assembly intends to identify five degraded sites within communities affected by illegal mining.
Each site will have a dedicated management team of five people, with efforts being made to ensure gender inclusion by selecting at least two women, one person living with a disability, and two additional members, preferably youth.
Between September and December, the identified lands will be reclaimed and prepared for cultivation.
Construction of greenhouse facilities and irrigation systems is expected to begin in January 2027, alongside the training of the selected beneficiaries.
Once the pilot phase proves successful, the Assembly plans to replicate the initiative across other communities within the municipality.
Technical Support for Private Landowners
The Municipal Planning Officer also announced that individuals interested in establishing greenhouse farms on their own lands can receive free technical guidance from the Municipal Assembly.
While beneficiaries will be responsible for purchasing farming inputs, the Assembly will provide technical expertise on greenhouse construction and operation.
The project also intends to organise participating communities into cooperatives to encourage peer learning and strengthen long-term sustainability.
Growing Crops Without Contaminated Soil
During the meeting, participants raised concerns about whether chemicals left behind by illegal mining could contaminate crops grown on reclaimed lands.
Responding to the concern, Mr. Agyemang explained that the crops would not be planted directly in the contaminated soil.
Instead, greenhouse crops will be cultivated using coco peat, a growing medium made from processed coconut husks, which is widely used in modern greenhouse farming because it provides a clean, nutrient-rich and soil-free environment for crops.
Traditional Leaders Pledge Support
Chairman of the Obuasi Chiefs and Nkamprom/North Nyamebekyere Odiikro, Nana Okofo Appiah Kubi, welcomed the initiative and pledged the support of traditional authorities.
He assured the Assembly that chiefs would assist in identifying suitable degraded lands within their communities for the successful implementation of the project.
The initiative is expected to contribute significantly to environmental restoration, promote climate-smart agriculture, reduce youth unemployment and diversify Obuasi’s economy beyond gold mining.