In the wake of climate change discourses at the governmental level and
international conferences, Ghana has developed a National Climate Change Policy
Framework (NCCPF), a strategy document intended to respond to the climate
change problems facing the country.
Climate change poses a
great challenge to many sectors on which livelihoods of poor people as well as
the economic development of the nation as a whole depend. Agriculture is one
key sector where impacts are being felt especially by those who directly depend
on it. As such, the agricultural sector has been identified by the NCCPF as one
of the key areas for intervention.
At the moment,
government, through the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST),
is progressing to elaborate plans under the NCCPF for the key sectors being
affected by climate change including the agriculture sector. However,
development of an effective agriculture sector plan to respond to climate
change will demand that those who directly depend on agriculture are engaged
and involved at all the stages.
In view of the
aforesaid, Friends of the Earth (FoE) Ghana, an international non-governmental
organization in collaboration with the MEST, has organized a one-day workshop in
Tamale, bringing together representatives of NGOs, Farmer-Based Organizations,
opinion leaders, Faith- Based Organizations and the media to disseminate
information on the status and issues of the national climate change sector
plans process, and to brainstorm on key agriculture sector issues of relevance
to the participants and their constituents in the face of the changing climate.
Opening the workshop, George B.K. Awudi, Coordinator of
Climate Change Programme at FoE-Ghana, said it was worthy of note, that climate
change affected all and did not know boundaries, but was quick to add that the
impacts were also felt differently by people and by different ecological zones.
Therefore, attempts to find response measures that were effective, he noted,
demands involvement and engagement of all stakeholders especially those who were
most severely impacted.
Mr. Awudi reckoned that the stakeholders at the
grassroots could only engage positively and make their voices heard if they
were informed about the process and their capacity enhanced for effective
engagement.
According to him, the objective of the workshop
thus, was to disseminate information on the status and issues of the NCCPF
process including future plans; and enhance the ability of civil society
organisations, local communities and opinion leaders to effectively engage in
the process of climate change decision making especially in the Northern Zone,
in the development of agriculture and food security sector plans to combat
climate change.
He explained that FoE and the MEST intended to reach
CSOs, FBOs, communities and opinion leaders in twelve Metropolitan, Municipal
and District Assemblies in the three regions of the North considered to be high
climate change prone areas, which include Tamale Metropolis, Savelugu-Nanton
Municipality, Bolgatanga Municipality, Wa Municipality, West Mamprusi,
Tolon-Kumbungu, Builsa, Talensi-Nabdam, Kasina-Nabdam, Kasina-Nankana, Wa East
and Wa West Districts.
Adding, Mr. Awudi said, it is expected that the
activity would help the beneficiary organisations and communities to organise
around climate change policy decision making processes and to serve as contact
points for government consultations.
It would also facilitate linkages between
organisations and communities and government climate change policy makers and
their agents for future collaboration in the planning and implementation of
climate change matters.
NCCPF, way forward and
the agric sector
The NCCPF is in 3
parts. Part 1 of the NCCPF deals with situational analysis of climate change,
policy issues and policy options.
Part 2 proposes
development of sector specific strategies to deal with climate change whereas part 3 proposes to
deal with implementation plan with budgetary indications, and development of
specific sector plans/strategies for the prioritized areas to address climate
change in the NCCPF.
Following the part 1,
motion is being set towards part 2, that is, the development of the sector plans/strategies
for the prioritized areas to address climate change in the NCCPF. Lead
Consultants and sector experts will be engaged in the development of the sector
strategies.
The Consultant will identify the strategies,
gaps in existing sector policies and implementation related to climate change,
and further identify existing institutional and human capacities for
dealing with climate change risks and opportunities as it relates to the
prioritized sector.
How do we engage and
make our voice heard?
The Climate Change Programme Coordinator of
FoE indicated that, the strategies once developed, will be owned by the sectors, urging NGOs, famers and their organizations, women
groups, opinion leaders, the media, among others, to be concerned with this
progress and process.
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