A one-day sensitization program on "Climate-Smart Agriculture" was organized for the members of the Women in Farming group. The program was held on Friday, 8th August 2025, at Oda Nkwanta. The primary objective was to educate and empower women farmers on the impacts of climate change on agricultural activities and to introduce them to practical Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices to enhance resilience and productivity.

The session was facilitated by Mr. Stephen Boadi, and supported by a team of 11 officers. A total of 70 women farmers were in attendance.

Program Overview and Key Presentations

The program utilized a PowerPoint presentation titled "Climate Smart Agriculture" to guide the discussions. The key topics covered are summarized below:

The Critical Role of Agriculture in Ghana

The presentation began by establishing the significance of agriculture as the backbone of the Ghanaian economy. It was highlighted that the sector:

  • Is the first employment bestowed by God.
  • Feeds the entire population.
  • Employs over 70% of the working population.
  • Contributes 21.1% to Ghana's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
    • The Global Challenge

    Population Growth and Food Security Participants were taken through global population dynamics, illustrating the rapid growth from 1 billion in 1804 to over 8 billion in 2022. This session posed a critical question: "How do we increase production to meet the food demands of the growing population?" This set the stage for discussing sustainable solutions and introduced the relevance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)

    Understanding Climate Change and Its Effects

    A major segment was dedicated to defining climate change and its direct effects on farming, which include:

  • Rising temperatures and extreme weather events
  • Pest and disease outbreaks
  • Biodiversity loss and rising sea levels. These impacts were identified as the single biggest threat to agricultural productivity and human health, leading to increased hunger and poor nutrition.
    • Causes of Climate Change

    The presentation outlined the primary causes, with a focus on human activities relevant to the Ghanaian context:

  • Burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas).
  • Deforestation (reducing carbon sinks).
  • Agricultural practices (methane from livestock, nitrous oxide from fertilizers).
  • Waste management (methane from landfills).
    • Practical Solutions

    Mitigation and Adaptation The facilitator presented actionable ways to mitigate climate change, encouraging participants to adopt practices such as:

  • Saving energy at home.
  • Reducing food waste
  • Planting native tree species
  • Speaking up and advocating for a cleaner environment.
    • The Way Forward

    Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) The core of the sensitization focused on Climate-Smart Agriculture as the integrated solution. CSA was defined as an approach to managing landscapes-cropland, livestock, forests, and fisheries-to:

  • Sustainably increase agricultural productivity and incomes
  • Build resilience and adapt to climate change
  • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions where possible
    • Detailed CSA Practices

    Participants were introduced to specific, implementable CSA practices across various domains:

  • Crop Management: Intercropping with legumes, crop rotation, using drought-resistant varieties, and improved storage techniques.
  • Livestock Management: Improved feeding strategies, rotational grazing, fodder crops, and manure treatment.
  • Soil and Water Management: Conservation agriculture, contour planting, terracing, and improved irrigation (e.g., water pans, drip irrigation).
  • Agroforestry: Planting boundary trees, nitrogen-fixing trees, and woodlots to enhance ecosystem health.
    • The Six Dimensions of Smart

    The presentation concluded with the six "smart" dimensions for a holistic approach:

  • Water-smart: e.g., Direct seeded rice, raised beds, drip irrigation.
  • Weather-smart: Using weather forecasts and index-based insurance.
  • Carbon-smart: Residue management and no-tillage farming.
  • Knowledge-smart: Leveraging ICT and continuous capacity building.
    • Participant Engagement and Feedback

    The women farmers actively participated in the session, asking pertinent questions about how to access drought-resistant seeds, the practicalities of setting up drip irrigation, and ways to form cooperatives to leverage group strength for implementing these practices. The presence of 11 officers ensured that interactions were personalized and specific queries from participants were adequately addressed.

    Conclusion and Recommendations

    The sensitization program was highly successful in achieving its aim. The Report on Climate Change Sensitization Program for Women in Agriculture

    It is recommended that
  • Follow-up Training: Hands-on, demonstration-based training sessions should be organized to practically illustrate CSA techniques like compost making, drip irrigation setup, and contour ploughing.
  • Access to Resources: Efforts should be made to link the women farmers to sources of climate-resilient inputs (seeds, seedlings) and facilitate their access to weather-smart insurance products.
  • Formation of Cooperatives: The department should continue to encourage and support the formation of cooperatives to enable collective action, knowledge sharing, and improved market access.
    • Appreciation

    Special thanks were extended to Mr. Stephen Boadi for his insightful presentation and to the team of officers for their support. The enthusiasm and participation of the 70 women farmers from Oda Nkwata were the cornerstone of the program's success

    Submitted by: Delight Ena Sowu, Gender desk officer

    bcma.gov.gh on August 9,2025