The scope of the Hybrid Community-based Monitoring System (HCMS) is limited to the Sui River cocoa-forest landscape / Sui River Forest Reserve. It covers an area of 333.9 km², consisting of a long narrow band that follows the Bia-Tano watershed, south of Buaku, in the Western North Region of Ghana. The system is hinged on a landscape participatory approach which is necessary to secure the future of forests and significantly improve livelihood opportunities for farmers and forest users. This system is designed to leverage information and communications technology and empower communities to own the monitoring process, while reducing human error to the barest minimum.
A component of the HCMS is the Data hub. This is the repository where all data sets collected are saved and displayed. It consists of the maps, dashboards, reporting with regards to tree registration. Additionally, its also consist of data with regards to trainings being held on the landscape, additional livelihoods, gender dynamics, deforestation monitoring and verifications, among other indicators across the landscape.
A robust monitoring system should have an equally robust data collection application. The mobile application of HCMS leverages on geographic information system (GIS), satellite technology and community systems to undertake continuous collection of data regarding tree registration, deforestation monitoring, climate smart agriculture, among others.
Understanding Land use land cover (LULC) dynamics is an important of aspect of monitoring landscapes. The HCMS therefore provides a platform where landscapes can monitor their land cover against some land use activities. It utilises the power of Google Earth Engine and combines the optical (LANDSAT) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (Sentinel-1) images to produce poignant LULC information covering the landscape.
This project is designed to leverage information and communications technology and empower communities to own the M&E process, while reducing human error to the barest minimum. It will invest in capacity development of a local team of LMB members, including youth and women, who can effectively perform M&E tasks, and end-users who can ensure the sustainability of the project.
Moreover, it has been documented that community monitoring is successful only where there is sustained funding, legislation for communities to enforce rules, clear tenure rights, and an enabling environment created by the state.Against this backdrop, the project is to develop a business model for supporting HCMS in monitoring of Landscape performance, leveraging on the legal institutional measures of the LMB, and the capacity to support tree registration process.
