Climate is simply the atmospheric conditions of a country or place at or near the surface of the earth. We are all aware of the periodic changes in the moisture, temperature, cloudiness, and wind around us. Not only us, human beings, but also, plants and animals experience such changes in the atmosphere and these changes are reflected in their development and prevalence.
Of late the world news is full of the effects of climate change including heat wave, extreme cold temperatures in relatively warmer areas, and extreme flooding in certain parts of the world.
We in Ghana have had our share of the climate change which, I consider started in 1968, when there were floods in almost all parts of the country with most of the major rivers overflowing their banks. Another wide-spread change in the country was the occurrence of Chromolaena Odorata, popularly called “Acheampong” because it was recognised as a national weed problem for its nationwide occurrence during the regime of General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, and hence honourably named after him. Several pest management practices were adopted to control it but I am not aware if any one of them successfully controlled it. With the change in environmental conditions, the popular “Acheampong” weed has virtually disappeared from our own vegetation. The famine in 1983 was another drastic change in our national environment and should have served as food for thought to draw our attention to having a critical look at our weather pattern. Our 1983 famine experience is 40 years from 2023. Is our current food situation an indication of the return of our 1983 famine experience? That is the question!
These environmental changes above, I have observed in my life time, together with the short, intermittent, unpredictable rainfall pattern in 2023 and 2024. These in particular suggest that it is high time we study our past weather records to know how our weather pattern has changed since our colonial masters came out with what we have comfortably depended on for almost 100 years for our past successful agricultural production. The farmers who are aware of our annual single-peak and double-peak rainfall patterns in the northern and southern parts of Ghana, respectively, virtually did not depend on information from the Meteorological department before starting to farm each year!! They only depended on the conventional rains to start farming, but it appears now the conventional rains are no more and it is currently not clear what kind of rainfall pattern Ghana is experiencing; single-peak or double-peak?
No series of international conferences or programmes will study our current weather conditions and our future weather pattern for us. We, Ghanaians are now feeling the pinch of current unpredictable weather conditions. We need to study our past weather records from where our colonial masters ended to date, and observe the nature of the current weather pattern we are experiencing, particularly rainfall, to inform our agriculture. It is indeed time for us to learn from the soldier-ants. Knowing when the rains would occur, they would come out of their underground nests to gather food for the season, or take their young ones to places of safety, particularly when the rains are likely to be heavy enough to destroy their habitat/nest. We may not have the natural instincts of soldier-ants, however, we can study our rainfall patterns in order to predict for successful agricultural production. Studying the life cycle of our soil fauna for example, will bring rainfall forecasting to the level of the farmer.
The informed changes in our rainfall patterns would help us to re-demarcate our agro-ecological zones, since the vegetation of an area is a reflection of the amount of rainfall the area receives. The re-demarcated agro-ecological zones would then mean we need to identify the crops which could favourably grow in our newly demarcated zones, as our colonial masters did for crops such as cocoa, oil palm, and rubber, which, we have successfully cultivated as export crops for almost the past 100 years!!
Indeed, the current climate change calls for a total review of the nation’s agriculture. First the Agricultural Advisory Council which was abolished should be reconstituted to advise government the direction our agriculture should take to ensure National Food Security, and agricultural support for the growth and sustenance of the nation’s economy.
A weather commission should be created under the council to study our past weather records. The outcome of such a study would help with the re-demarcation of our agro-ecological zones as required. The crops which would be favourably grown in our new agro-ecological zones should be identified and developed for commercial production. From all indications of the current unpredictable rainfall pattern, the commercial large-scale production of maize, one of the staples, appears not to be advisable. However, probably through the re-demarcation of our current agro-ecological zones, we may find some ecological niches favourable for maize production, so we could concentrate its production in such areas. Similarly, we are likely to find favourable areas for other major crops like cocoa, oil palm which we may not be able to use for production extensively, or have been doing so till the climate changed. The re-demarcation of agro-ecological niches would indicate where we could concentrate their production.
Indeed, for export and home consumption, the likely changes identified in current agro-ecological zones, would require us to review crop research and production policies. For example, research on root and tuber crops in Ghana in particular, and in Africa in general, have proved these to be very resilient, and could be produced in areas unfavourable for most crops, particularly, maize. It is very interesting to note the abundance of yam and other root and tuber crops on the market under our current unpredictable weather conditions, which, has not favoured the production of maize. In line with this, it would be advisable for farmers to farm cassava when the rains begin and follow it up later with maize if conditions are favourable.
With the inability of man to reverse the current climate, the future export crops for Ghana will be root and tuber crops, particularly yam. We only need to carry out research that would improve post-harvest handling techniques and practices to reduce post-harvest losses, and these crops will become the basis of our food security as maize has been, before the climate change.
It is clear from the above that a constant study of our weather conditions would be of great benefit for our national development. Not only would we be able to observe the changes in our rainfall patterns and review our agriculture, but also be aware of changes in fauna, flora, and micro-organisms in the ecosystem of Ghana. The bio life changes in the environment would guide us to how and when mega changes would occur so that we are not taken unawares later with time, as we monitor the natural environment.
For a regular review of our climatic conditions, a weather institute should be established under the Weather commission to be constantly studying our weather records as the Meteorological departments collect data on regional, district, and zonal basis. Apart from meteorologists, the institute should be adequately staffed with zoologists and botanists to study the obscure succession of flora and microbial life in the nation.
With the development of an efficient weather forecasting system, not only would we be aware of changes in the biological life of our nation but also, be able to develop sustainable commercial agricultural enterprises to replace the current extensive commercial activities which has made our national economy one of buying and selling. Agriculture, a natural characteristic of our beloved nation can turn our economy into a producing and selling one, creating varied conditions for the employment of Ghanaians of varied professions.
Indeed, with a good knowledge of climate change in Ghana, we can develop our agriculture to suit today and tomorrow’s universal climate. Change is long overdue for Ghanaian farmers.
Mr. Yaw Opoku-Asiama
Former Dean and former lecturer, School of Agriculture
University of Cape Coast
