Agric Ministry calls for Climate change preparedness

Accra, Ghana - The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has emphasized the need for a comprehensive understanding of climate change to better prepare for future droughts.

Public Relations Officer for the Ministry,  Tanko Bagbara stated that the Minister has met with the Meteorological Agency to enhance collaboration and improve weather prediction capabilities.

The government has provided the Meteorological Agency with equipment to enhance their forecasting abilities, which will guide farmers in making informed decisions.

Speaking on JoyNews' AM Show, Mr Bagbara said, "In fact, they have been impeded on the agriculture and agribusiness platform, where farmers would have direct access to reliable weather information that would inform the planning of our production calendar."

At a press conference on Monday, August 26, Minister for Food and Agriculture Bryan Acheampong revealed that farmers in eight regions affected by the ongoing drought have suffered significant losses, totaling approximately GH₵3.5 billion. The potential revenue loss is estimated at GH₵10.4 billion.

To mitigate the impacts of droughts, MoFA has highlighted the importance of developing irrigation infrastructure.

Notable progress includes the rehabilitation of the Kpong Irrigation Scheme and the ongoing Afram Plains Economic Enclave Irrigation Scheme.

"When all of these are fully utilized, we, as a country, will be moving from rain-fed agriculture to a more reliable water source. With water, you can be assured of good yields in production," Mr. Bagbara noted.

Source : Lead News Online