Mabel Agba

Tell us about yourself: I am Mabel Agba from Ghana. I am a sustainable development practitioner. For the past 11 years, I have been managing projects focused on ecosystem restoration, climate resilience, food and water security and women’s rights in Ghana. Between 2016 and 2018, I coordinated the Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action project in Ghana where I led grassroots women movement in advancing their rights and impacted over 500 women. In 2016, I contributed to the work of the Women and Gender Constituency of the UNFCCC and made an intervention on advancing the Lima Work Program on Gender. Besides, I have participated in other national and international conferences (eg. CBD, UNFCCC, IUCN congress, etc.) where I contributed and represented the voices of local communities on issues of climate change and other environmental issues.

I have always been passionate about the subject of development due to my personal experiences of facing the challenges of poverty and deprivation. My primary motivation is to contribute towards pro-poor development agenda. Being privileged to be working with environmental NGOs in Ghana where I had the opportunity to connect with nature, the wildlife, and the wide-open spaces, I have become both environment and development enthusiast with a goal to impact the world’s most vulnerable people and make a difference in society.

‍What did you do with the JWH grant? The grant was used to support my participation in the 2021 IUCN World Conservation Congress held in France and a 2-week French language course at the Alliance Francaise.

‍What has the leadership development program brought you? The grant contributed to strengthening my knowledge of global biodiversity conservation innovations and new approaches in community-based natural resources management and green value chain development and enhanced my French language skills and offered me the opportunity to widen my professional network.

‍What is your dream? My goal is to strengthen my expertise on the nexus of environment and development so I could better contribute to shaping the sustainable development agenda in Ghana and the world at large.