The absence of rainfall in certain parts of the country for several weeks is impacting farming and raising concerns about potential food shortages and price increases for agricultural products.
Despite being the farming season, the northern regions and the middle belt have experienced little to no rainfall over the past two months, causing significant damage to crops and leaving farmers deeply troubled.
In the Bono area, affected farming communities include Techiman, Kintampo, and Nkoranza, while the southern Volta Region and the Greater Accra Region are also facing similar challenges.
In some of these regions, farmers have been waiting for rain to plant their crops, but the anticipated rainfall has not occurred, while those who have already planted are seeing their crops fail.
The situation has become so dire that some Imams have turned to prayer, seeking divine intervention for the much-needed rainfall to ensure a successful farming season, which began in April.
Mahama Sintaro, the Chief Executive Officer of Tibzaa Farms in Sakoya, Northern Region, expressed his frustration in an interview, stating that his maize and rice farms, spanning nearly 2,000 hectares, are drying up due to the lack of rain.
Another farmer Ayass Gazalle, conveyed worry about repaying his bank loan, saying, “I would be in bad business if we don’t get rain now.”
An Agriculture Extension Officer from the Tigo community, Laar Emmanuel, described the current situation as unprecedented, citing the unpredictability of rainfall and the drying up of water bodies as key factors.
In an interview, Dr. Charles Nyaaba, a board member and former Executive Director of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), confirmed the concerns expressed by farmers.
He noted that the drought’s effects in the middle belt are even more severe than in the north, resulting in widespread crop failures and forcing many farmers to either replant or abandon their fields.
Farmers in the middle belt, who should have been harvesting by now, are facing total losses, with maize crops in the north completely scorched, according to Dr. Nyaaba.
To address these issues, Dr. Nyaaba recommended adopting water storage and irrigation practices used in other countries, such as building dams and dugouts to store water during irregular rainfall periods.
He called for immediate government intervention to support affected farmers and stressed the importance of long-term strategies, including sustainable agricultural practices and environmental protection to combat desertification.
Dr. Nyaaba also warned of potential food security challenges, predicting limited food supplies and rising food inflation, which could increase dependence on imports.
Anthony Morrison, CEO of the Chamber of Agribusiness, stated that the drought has led to reduced tomato and watermelon yields in the southern Volta Region.
He predicted that the widespread agricultural losses could lead to increased food imports in the coming years, and the poultry sector might also suffer due to a shortage of grains.
Morrison called for a strategic response involving government agencies, improved infrastructure, better data management, and the establishment of a National Agricultural Risk Management Agency to handle such emergencies.
When contacted, Joseph Portuphy, Deputy Director in charge of Synoptic Meteorology and Forecasting at the Ghana Meteorological Authority (GMet), clarified that the current situation is not yet classified as a drought but rather a dry spell affecting the coastal and middle belt regions.
Portuphy attributed the current weather challenges to “climate variability” rather than long-term climate change, pointing out that local factors like deforestation and river degradation contribute to unpredictable weather patterns.
He assured that the situation is expected to improve in the coming weeks.
Attempts to get a response from the sector ministry through the Public Relations Office were unsuccessful. However, sources at the Ministry informed the Ghanaian Times that a critical meeting was held yesterday to address the situation.