The Northern part of Ghana is recognized as the food basket of Ghana but is heavily affected by climatic factors like droughts and harsh weather conditions causing post-harvest losses leading to food insecurities. The 2020 Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis(CFSVA) reported that food insecurity is concentrated in the 5 “Northern regions” of Ghana. This requires urgent and more practical solutions towards addressing this menace thus building the resilience of the farmers in those communities. The Northern Ghana Climate Resilience Project (NGCR) recognizes the urgency to strengthen the resilience of rural communities in the Northern region of Ghana that face the severe impacts of climate change. One of the key components of the NGCR is Climate Smart Agriculture, which is an approach to farming that seeks to increase food production thus addressing the thorny issue of food insecurity while reducing negative environmental impacts. The goal of Climate Smart Farming is to help farmers adapt to the impacts of climate change by implementing practices that are more resilient and sustainable.
The NGCR also focuses on sustainable energy, recognizing the importance of renewable energy sources in mitigating the impacts of climate change and addressing the issue of insufficient power supply to various communities in the country. The project aims to increase access to renewable energy, particularly solar energy, in rural areas. Solar water for rural poor communities is one of the initiatives that the project is implementing to increase access to clean water in rural areas.
Another key component of the NGCR is Green Enterprise Development, which seeks to promote the creation of green jobs and businesses in the region. This component is aimed at diversifying livelihoods by supporting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises that are involved in climate-resilient agriculture, renewable energy, and other green sectors.This helps alleviate poverty in several communities and reduces the incidences of robbery which people resort to due to their inability to find jobs.
Irrigation in the Northern Region is problematic and coupled with drought and the changing weather patters, the situation has worsened. The project also seeks to promote Pave Irrigation Technology, which is a low-cost, sustainable irrigation system that utilizes recycled plastic bottles to water crops. This technology has been successful in other parts of the world, and the NGCR aims to scale it up in the northern regions of Ghana.
Through these various components, the NGCR aims to promote climate resilience and support rural livelihoods in northern Ghana. By improving access to sustainable energy, promoting sustainable agriculture, and supporting the development of green enterprises, the project aims to build the adaptive capacity of rural communities to cope with the impacts of climate change and reduce the problem of food insecurity.
