About us
Who we are!
In 1983, fires swept through Ghana’s Volta Region in one of the country’s worst bushfire disasters. Communities along the Akwapim-Togo range lost farms and the agroforestry systems that had sustained them for generations.
The dry-season fires that followed had a lasting effect. As recurring losses discouraged farming, communities began to lose the structures and indigenous knowledge that had long governed land stewardship in the region.
Accelerated Rural Development Organization (ARDO) was established in response to this loss. Our founders recognized that ecological restoration and livelihood recovery are interdependent, and that meaningful restoration requires communities to first believe in its value and possibility.
This principle continues to shape our approach. We are a community-led organization that integrates scientific knowledge with the indigenous knowledge communities have preserved for generations. We regard both as essential to effective and lasting restoration.
Today, ARDO operates across Ghana primarily in the Volta and Oti regions, supporting agroforestry, wildfire management and the preservation of indigenous knowledge.
Our vision
Communities and ecosystems, thriving together.
Our Mission
We work with communities to protect and restore ecosystems through indigenous knowledge and sustainable livelihood.
Our Values
We believe communities are the primary stewards of their land and must lead conservation efforts.
We respect and preserve Indigenous traditions, knowledge systems and identities.
We are committed to restoring and protecting ecosystems for present and future generations.
We promote fair access to resources, decision-making and opportunities for all.
We uphold trust through responsible, ethical and transparent practices.
Our Donors
