Ghana faces devastating dry spell - Government intervenes to avert food crisis

A severe drought has gripped Ghana, affecting over 928,000 farmers and threatening the country's food security. 

The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMET) had predicted intermittent dry spells during this year's cropping season, but the situation has turned into a near-drought, with continuous dry spells disrupting crop production.

The worst-affected regions are the Upper West, Bono East and Northern regions, where maize, rice, groundnut, soybean, sorghum, millet and yam crops are experiencing severe water stress.  

According to the sector minister, Dr Bryan Acheampong, the dry spell has resulted in significant losses for farmers, with an estimated investment loss of GH¢ 3.5 billion and a revenue loss of GH¢10.4 billion.

The ministry has expressed concerns about the potential crop failures and low yields, which could have a ripple effect on the agricultural value chain, including farm hands, aggregators, processors, traders and transporters. The situation is also expected to impact food supply across the country.

Historical occurrences

Ghana has experienced droughts in the past, suggesting that the country is vulnerable to droughts, particularly in the northern region, which is a recurring hazard.

Droughts in Ghana and West Africa tend to occur in cycles of about 30 years, with recent studies suggesting a cyclical pattern of high rainfall followed by drought every decade. 

An affected farm in the north

Two distinct droughts were noted in West Africa between 1910 and 1983, with varying intensities and durations. (Benneh 1985) and (Tandoh (1985)

Implication of current dry spell

According to MOFA, the drought has far-reaching implications for food security and livelihoods, including:

• Food shortages: The affected regions contribute over 62 per cent of Ghana's grain supply annually. With the projected crop failure, there is a risk of a nationwide food shortage.

• Loss of farmer investment and income: Farmers have lost an estimated investment of GHS 3.5 billion and a potential revenue loss of GHS 10.4 billion.

• Decline in agriculture GDP: The estimated production losses will lead to a 10 per cent decline in agriculture GDP.

• Security threat: The drought has significant implications for national security, as it could lead to unrest and instability among affected communities.

Government response to the crisis

The government has responded to the crisis by implementing a range of measures to mitigate the impact of the drought. These include:

• A temporary ban on grains exports to ensure the availability of critical crops on the domestic market

• Mopping up stock from farmers to prevent losses

• Procurement of grains from the ECOWAS Grain Reserve and private sector to bridge the gap

• Farmer relief support, including cash transfers, input support and technical support for soil moisture conservation techniques

• Collaboration with GMET to provide agrometeorological forecasts and advisories for agriculture

Agriculturally focused weather forecasts

The government is also working to develop resilience to climatic conditions by rolling out irrigation and water management schemes.

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) has acquired 20 Automatic Weather Stations (AWSs) for GMET, which will be installed at key locations nationwide to generate agriculturally focused weather forecasts and advisories for farmers.

Additionally, a national drought plan is crucial for mitigating the social and economic impacts of droughts and ensuring the long-term sustainability of Ghana's critical sectors such as agriculture.

Caution to government and stakeholders

Given that Ghana's agriculture is largely rain-fed, the success of the sector is heavily influenced by annual rainfall patterns.  

It should be noted that depending heavily on rain-fed agriculture poses significant challenges to production.

Ghana's economy is vulnerable to droughts, which have significant impacts on sectors such as water, agriculture, health and energy. 

A severe drought in 1982/83 resulted in large-scale losses, while previous droughts have had substantial economic costs.

According to the Crop Services Directorate of MoFA, droughts affect soil health, leading to changes in soil structure, reduced crop performance and altered soil temperature.

Ghana has experienced several droughts in the past, in 1970, 1975, 1977, and 1983/84 respectively leading to reduced vegetation cover, increased erosion and pressure on water supplies.

These events also lead to population migration and the degradation of ecosystems.
 

Interventions

In conclusion, the government has given assurance of its commitment to providing support to affected farmers and ensuring food security in Ghana.

The MOFA as the sector ministry has further given the assurance that it will continue to monitor the crop situation and keep the nation informed.

At an update on the drought situation in the country, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, explaining the rationale behind the ban, emphasised the need to ensure the availability of critical crops for the domestic market amid the challenging weather conditions.

He urged farmers with grain stocks to contact district directors, aggregators, and the Crops Directorate if they were interested in selling their produce, to prevent suffering losses due to the export ban.

For his part, the Minister of Finance, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, announced a package for farmers whose farms were affected by the drought.

He said the government would offer compensation to affected farmers, with payments of GH¢1,000 per hectare.

It is anticipated that the export ban, coupled with financial support for farmers and strategic grain imports, will stabilise the situation and prevent a full-blown food crisis in Ghana.

The writer is the Head of PR Department of MoFA
Writer’s Email: bagbara@gmail.com