Gbele Resource Reserve introduces rabbit farming, trains fringe communities to reduce poaching

Management of Gbele Resource Reserve has, on February 11, 2021, at the Tuderidep Conference Hall introduced rabbit farming and trained some selected fringe communities to reduce poaching in the Reserve.

It was also meant to provide an alternative source of livelihood to participants.

The program, organized under the theme: "Transforming Poachers to Adopt Alternatives Livelihood as a means to Alternative Bush Meat Crisis and Reduce Poaching in Protected Areas" was also aimed to reduce poaching in the Reserve by some hunters living in those communities.

According to the Management of Gbele Resource Reserve, the program seeks to engage fringe communities in an alternative livelihood source, hence rabbit farming was carefully selected as a sustainable option because "those communities serve as breeding grounds for poachers in an attempt for them to eke out a living especially during the dry season where farming is almost impossible and thus their destructive activities on the existence of wildlife species in the reserve".

In his opening remarks, the Park Manager of the Reserve, Dr. Nana Owusu Ansah bemoaned the change in visibility of wildlife animals at the outskirt of communities as it used to be whenever one was travelling especially wild rabbit popularly known as 'Togo head'.

He blamed the situation on environmental destructive attitude of poachers or hunters using bush burning as a way of trapping wild animals either for sale or a source of protein for families.

He has therefore charged beneficiaries as well as participants of the program to inject seriousness into the intervention since rabbit farming from all indications is a lucrative business as taste for rabbit meat has increased among Ghanaians.

He further went on to disclose that as a rabbit farmer himself, Kumasi market is an avenue to sell rabbit meat since demand has always exceeded supply and thus living the market to be craving for more rabbit meat.
About 20 participants drawn from 8 communities including Tumu, Welembelle, Santie, Jijen, Timmie, Duwie, Dasima and Silbelle in the Sissala East and Sissala West Constituencies of the Upper West Region of Ghana.

Dr. Nana Owusu Ansah concluded his opening remarks by entreating participants to be cognizance of wildlife laws as failure to do so can land culprits on the wrong side of the law.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Park Manager who doubles as a Veterinary Specialist, Dr. Maabier Polycap, he said research shows that approximately 1.2 billion rabbits are slaughtered each year for meat Worldwide and besides, that the global meat market revenue amounted to 56.4 billion in the year 2017.

He further added that, medically, some category of sick person such as diabetic patients, obese persons and so forth are usually recommended to take rabbit meat for its health benefits.

Dr. Polycap being the lead trainer took participants through the rudiments of rabbit farming such as where to source for first breeds, what type of housing, how to clean their place of abode, feed sources available, health challenges and treatment, how to raise a business plan, record keeping and even channel of marketing the rabbit both within and beyond the areas of participants among others.

Dr. Polycap ended his training session by admonishing on all beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of the intervention as plans are far advanced to scale-up the intervention to 25 other fringe communities surrounding the Reserve.



He mentioned some market channels available in the area such as Jirapa Dubai Hotel in Jirapa, Mole National Park Motel, Zaina Lodge, Gateway Travelers Lodge in Tumu and also added that avenues such as rabbit shows can be organized for the sole purpose of marketing rabbit meat.

At the end of the program, there was a short handing over ceremony where some rabbits for a start were presented to 8 beneficiaries from different communities in both Constituencies.