Introduction
As Nations across the world continue to strategize on best
approaches to adopt in attaining national food security and in contributing to
securing the food security of the world’s estimated nine (9) billion population
in 2050, it beholds on all to champion sustainable environmental development
practice to curtail the increasing effect of climate change on the world’s
development.
Ghana has over the years demonstrated its commitment at
addressing the increasing threat of climate change to its national development;
following the formulation and implementation of various national climate change
policies. These interventions are contributing immensely in engaging the
citizenry to appreciate the reality of climate change and thus work towards
addressing it.
Recently, climate change adaptive Agriculture has taken
centre stage in the nation’s quest to address the increasing effect of climate change
to its economic development, of which Agriculture accounts for more than 60%.
Climate change adaptive Agriculture employs innovative
farming systems with best practices that effectively helps farmers and other Agricultural
value chain actors in managing the risk that climate change possess in the
short to long term. The adoption of climate smart Agricultural practices
enhances the resilience of Agriculture to climate change, as these practices
mitigate the vulnerability of Agriculture to climate change.
This article therefore assesses the role of climate change adaptive
Agriculture in addressing climate change in Ghana. These roles include:
Enriches the Ecosystem and enhances biodiversity
conservation:
following the alarming rate of the depletion of Ghana’s rich forest reserves
with a decline in its forest cover from 8.2 million hectares at the beginning
of the 20th century to an estimated 1.6 million hectares, the
adoption of climate smart Agricultural practices will contribute significantly
in restoring Ghana’s diverse and rich ecosystem.
 |
| The Rich Ecosystem of Aburi |
As Agricultural expansion accounts for 50% of the principal
drivers of deforestation and degradation in Ghana; with a deforestation rate of
2.0% and an annual loss of 135,000 hectares, the adoption of alley farming as a climate smart Agricultural
practice will enrich the nation’s ecosystem and enhance its biodiversity
conservation.
This climate change adaptive Agricultural practice promotes
the cultivation of crops together with the planting of trees of economic value.
Alley farming thus enriches soil biodiversity, promotes the natural
regeneration of soil nutrients thus reducing the use of inorganic fertilizer,
restores degraded land, discourages bush burning and promotes afforestation.
The adoption of alley farming by Ghanaian farmers will also
contribute significantly in addressing deforestation and the degradation of
Ghana’s rich land reserves for Agricultural expansion, as farmers can expand their
acreage while maintain the nation’s vast and rich tree cover.
The adoption of conservation
Agriculture as a climate smart Agricultural practice will also contribute
significantly in addressing climate change in Ghana, as it strengthens environmental
protection and the conservation of natural resources. Conservation Agriculture
enriches the ecosystem and biodiversity, as it promotes: continuous minimum
mechanical soil disturbance, permanent organic soil cover and diversified crop
rotation.
The establishment and Management of tree plantations: the adoption of climate change adaptive
Agriculture will enhance Ghana’s quest at addressing climate change, as it
ensures the establishment and management of tree plantations comprising of
various tree species of economic value for the protection of the environment and
enrichment of the ecosystem.
 |
| A tree plantation in Northern Ghana |
The increasing level of interest of Ghanaian farmers in
investing in the establishment of Mango and Shea tree plantations, can
contribute significantly in addressing climate change, as these plantations
restores depleted forest reserves and degraded land.
The management of these plantations also curtails bush
burning, much especially in the Savannah ecological belt of Ghana, as these plantations
offer cover to the vast grassland of the Savannah that is prone to bush fires.
The establishment of these tree plantations also contributes
significantly in reducing carbon emissions, global warming and the conservation
of water resources which are increasingly vulnerable to climate change. These
tree plantations thus mitigates the effect of climate change, as they contribute
significantly in reducing Ghana’s deforestation rate (2.0%) which leads to an
annual loss of 135,000 Hectares of the nation’s forest cover.
Promotes sustainable land and water resource management; practically every development
challenge of the 21st century e.g. food security, the management of
rapid urbanization, energy security, environmental protection, climate change, etc
requires an urgent attention to land and water resource management.
As ground water is being depleted faster than replenished,
the adoption of climate change adaptive Agriculture will contribute
significantly in addressing the effect of climate change on hydrologic
variability which results to extreme weather events e.g. drought, floods etc.
 |
The Activities of galamsey in Ghana degrades
the nation's rich land and natural resources.
|
Owing to the increasing activities of illegal mining
popularly referred to as “galamsey” in Ghana, the adoption of climate change adaptive
Agriculture will play a significant role in the restoration of degraded land;
as it promotes afforestation and
adoption of farming systems that enhances the natural regeneration of the soil structure
and nutrients.
Aquaculture, a climate change Adaptive
Agricultural practice helps in the sustainable management of land and water resources
as it promotes the preservation of water bodies, the restoration of degraded
land etc. These benefits of Aquaculture thus help in maintaining a balanced
ecosystem that is resilient to the increasing challenge of climate change.
Furthermore, the adoption of conservation Agriculture as a climate smart Agricultural practice
promotes sustainable land and water resource management as it contributes
immensely in the conservation of Agricultural and non-Agricultural land,
controls pollution, enriches the ecosystem/biodiversity etc.
Conclusion
Climate change Adaptive Agriculture undoudly play an
essential role in addressing effect of climate change in Ghana, and it is
therefore important for the country to institute the needed structures to facilitate
the implementation of Ghana’s REDD+ strategy that is aimed at addressing
climate change in the country. The reality of climate change in Ghana requires action
now.
An Article By: Moses Nganwani Tia.
