The 2023 Ghana Garden and Flower Show has ended with a call for strong collaboration among all stakeholders for climate action.
This year’s event, the 11th edition, was on the theme: ‘Green Fusion: Collaborating for Climate Action.
It opened on August 30 and ended last Sunday at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park.
The show is a flagship event of the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement, an initiative of Strategic Communications Africa (Stratcomm Africa), a communication firm, that aims to promote floriculture and horticulture in the country, while creating awareness of the commercial, environmental, health and aesthetic benefits of flowers and gardens.
On show were some innovative products such as flowers, garden tools, garden ornaments, flower pots, soil conditioners, agrochemicals, garden-inspired fashion, garden furniture, cosmetics and other green living related products and services.
It emphasised the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement’s commitment to fostering sustainable growth and achieving a greener, cleaner, healthier and more beautiful Ghana.
Climate change
Addressing the gathering, the Director for Climate Change at the Forestry Commission, Roselyn Fosuah Adjei, said with the threat of climate change worsening around the world, it was important for each individual in the society to play their role in ensuring that there were practical actions to tackle the issue.
She noted that this could be done through a cycle where the government created enabling policies and the corporate and private sector provided technology and finance to local communities for the uptake of initiatives or policies in order to champion the fight against climate change.
“Specifically, nature-based solutions, including forests, have the potential to generate a third of the global climate solutions needed by 2030”, Mrs Adjei explained.
Advocacy
The Head of Brand and Marketing of Stanbic Bank, Mawuko Afadzinu, emphasised the critical role of advocacy in addressing climate change.
Mr Afadzinu, who is also the President of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) Ghana, explained that communication played a key role in putting a stop to the activities that contribute to the change of climate
He, therefore, called on all professionals and stakeholders to apply their “green fingers “to advocate and educate the public on how grave climate issues are and the need to take up green solutions as the GGFS to ensure a safe environment for all.
“Let us all be part of the advocacy to reduce the impact of human activities that help emit to the society and fight for a green environment, “he urged.
The Deputy Head of Missions of the European Union Ghana, Jonas Cleas, who opened the flower show, commended Stratcomm Africa for its initiative to ensure a green environment and promote the need for climate action in the country and beyond.
He gave an assurance that the EU remained committed to the fight against climate change through its varied support strategies to attain a green environment globally.
Green environment
The Chief Executive Officer of Stratcomm Africa, Esther Cobbah, said the show was to mainly support the global initiative of promoting a green environment while combining climate change.
She noted that the theme for the event was to help reflect on the roles each individual played in the fight against climate change while fusing different talents and interests to make the country greener, cleaner, healthier and more beautiful.
The Manager, Marketing Communication at Stratcomm Africa, Sharon Anim, also said the event would centre on promoting a sense of unity and collaboration among stakeholders to help address pressing challenges posed by climate change globally.
Source: myghanadaily
