Agricultural cooperatives emerging as climate champions in rural Ghana

In the Assin Central District of Ghana’s Central Region, cocoa farmers gather not just to discuss yields and prices, but to collectively chart survival strategies against a climate that no longer follows familiar patterns.

 

Under the shade of cocoa trees in Assin Fosu, members of a local farmers’ cooperative discuss rainfall forecasts, soil health, and how to safeguard their livelihoods from increasingly unpredictable weather.

 

“We cannot continue farming the same way,” says Samuel Torbi, a leader of the Assin Fosu Cocoa Farmers’ Cooperative, a group turning shared vulnerability into collective resilience.

 

Samuel owns a 17-acre cocoa farm bordering a forest reserve. In good years, his farm produces about 300 bags of cocoa, enough to support his household. After more than 20 years in cocoa production, he says farming has remained his economic backbone. Yet climate change now poses the greatest threat to that stability.

 

“You’re supposed to plant cocoa in March, but when the dry season extends unexpectedly, the young plants die,” he explains. “Climate change is now our biggest challenge in cocoa farming.”

 

Across Ghana, climate variability is rewriting the rules of farming. According to the Ghana Meteorological Agency, average temperatures have increased by about 1°C over the past 30 years, while rainfall has become increasingly erratic. The World Bank estimates that climate change could reduce Ghana’s agricultural productivity by up to 7% by 2050 if adaptation measures are not scaled up.

 

This poses a direct threat to smallholder farmers, who account for over 60% of Ghana’s agricultural workforce and produce nearly 80% of the country’s food, according to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).

 

In regions such as the Upper East, Northern, Bono, Ahafo, and parts of the Central, prolonged dry spells, flash floods, and soil degradation are driving down yields, raising production costs, and deepening food insecurity.

 

Cocoa, Ghana’s leading agricultural export and a livelihood for over 800,000 farm families, is particularly vulnerable.

 

Cooperatives as engines of climate adaptation

 

Amid these challenges, agricultural cooperatives are emerging as a quiet but powerful force in Ghana’s climate response. Once viewed primarily as vehicles for market access and bargaining power, cooperatives are increasingly functioning as hubs for climate-smart agriculture, information sharing, and risk management.

 

Agricultural researchers note that farmer-based organizations are gaining relevance because they provide a structured platform for engagement with government agencies, research institutions, and development partners.

 

Dr. Victor Owusu, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Geography Education, University of Education, Winneba, whose research focuses on agrarian food systems and livelihood resilience, describes climate change as a planning nightmare for farmers.

 

“The erratic nature of the weather makes agricultural planning extremely difficult,” he says. “This is where cooperatives become critical. While climate science informs policy, farmers also possess indigenous knowledge that has sustained their livelihoods for generations. Cooperatives create a space where scientific knowledge and local experience can work together.”

 

In Assin Fosu, change began with targeted training sessions supported by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), the Ghana Cocoa Biard (COCOBOD), and local NGOs. Farmers were introduced to climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices such as mulching, crop rotation, shade tree integration, improved seed selection, composting, and rainwater harvesting.

 

Abdul Rahman Ayiku Tetteh, the Pruning, Irrigation and Cocoa Management Systems Coordinator at the Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) of COCOBOD, describes cooperatives as essential allies in reaching farmers efficiently.

 

“Climate change is affecting production and wellbeing,” he explains. “We educate farmers on planting disease-resistant varieties, integrating shade trees, and protecting cocoa from direct sunlight. When cooperatives are involved, information spreads faster and adoption rates improve.”

 

CHED estimates that farms practicing recommended shade management and pruning techniques can improve productivity by 15–25%, even under climate stress.

 

The Assin Fosu cooperative has 72 active members, meeting monthly to review production data, welfare concerns, and business performance. Special farmer business schools provide hands-on training in climate-smart practices.

 

“We now understand that cutting down trees worsens climate stress on cocoa,” Mr. Torbi explains. “Shade trees improve soil moisture, regulate temperature, and protect yields.”

 

Beyond agronomy, the cooperative has introduced group savings schemes, bulk input purchases, and shared irrigation support, reducing individual costs by up to 20%, according to members.

 

“Before, I couldn’t afford fertilizer,” says Sala Iddrisu, a cocoa farmer and mother of two. “Now we buy together and support each other.”

 

Some members have also committed portions of their land to tree planting and carbon sequestration initiatives under REDD+ programmes, contributing to Ghana’s emission reduction targets while restoring degraded landscapes.

 

Policy shift toward bottom-up solutions

 

Experts say cooperatives are central to scaling climate adaptation across the country.

 

According to Dr. Victor Owusu, for decades, agricultural governance in Ghana has largely followed a top-down model, limiting local participation in policy design and implementation.

 

“We've realized that the top-down approach towards dissemination of information, such as climate change, availability of subsidies for farmers, including fishers, there's a big gap communication gap, most of the information or the intended materials do not get to the people who are supposed to be using this information and other materials for their work to benefit their welfare.

 

“So gradually, we are moving towards a bottom up approach where government and other agencies are now recognizing the importance of empowering local cooperatives to also be actively involved in the management and governance of agriculture, food value chain,” he observed.

 

Ghana’s Updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the Climate Resilient and Green Economy Strategy explicitly recognize farmer-based organizations as key actors in adaptation and mitigation efforts.

 

However, challenges remain. Access to climate finance, long-term technical support, and research partnerships continues to constrain cooperative growth.

 

Dr. Owusu says empowering farmer-based organizations and local cooperatives will get them more involved in the management of the food value chain, especially in taking interest in climate change and its ramifications on the local agriculture sector.

 

“The agriculture sector is directly under the mercy of climate change, because we talk about farming, they depend on the mercies of the weather; the rainfall and the temperature. When we talk about the fishing, it's also the same.

 

“So information dissemination is very important, when we are talking about climate change and climate information, so that these farmers will be able to use this information for their planting season and other important information that will help them to sustain their various businesses,” he stated.

 

Back in Assin Fosu, farmers are preparing for the next planting season. They are testing cover crops to restore soil fertility, composting organic waste, and experimenting with drought-tolerant cocoa seedlings.

 

“We are no longer just surviving,” Mr. Torbi says. “We are adapting and leading.”

 

As climate change tightens its grip on Ghana’s food systems, one lesson is becoming increasingly clear: resilience is not built solely through technology or central policies, but through empowered communities working collectively.

 

In that future, agricultural cooperatives are not just participants; they are climate champions, shaping sustainable pathways for rural Ghana.

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This article is written by Kofi Adu Domfeh as part of a collaborative project between JoyNews, CDKN Ghana, and the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability at the University of Ghana, with funding from the CLARE R41 Opportunities Fund.

Climate Evidence: Agriculture insurance as lifeline for Ghana’s climate-hit farmers

As climate threats mount, vulnerable Ghanaian farmers need the right protection to weather the storm to sustain production and their livelihoods.

 

After 40 years of tilling the land to farm cocoa as cash crop and vegetables as food crop, Kofi Korankye, a farmer at Ejura in the Ashanti region, says when the weather fails, it becomes discouraging to venture farming.

 

“Some are reluctant to venture farming because it becomes daunting when there is no access to water,” he noted. “For instance, I’m cultivating pepper and garden eggs, aside the cocoa farm, but the source of water which is used to irrigate the farm has dried up. When this happens, there is no joy to continue production, you lose hope”.

 

Kofi’s experience is increasingly common across Ghana’s agricultural belt, where climate change is redefining the rules of farming. Erratic rainfall, prolonged dry spells, and flash floods are pushing smallholder farmers to the brink, undermining food security and threatening rural livelihoods.

 

In recent years, Ghana has witnessed a steady rise in climate-induced agricultural losses. According to data from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, crop yields in certain northern and middle-belt districts have dropped by up to 30% due to unpredictable weather events.

 

"Our farming calendar is broken,” explains Dr. Victor Owusu, a researcher in coastal livelihoods management and agrarian food systems with the Department of Geography Education, University of Education, Winneba. “We’re seeing droughts where rains should be, and floods in harvest season. It’s a vicious cycle.”

 

This instability has eroded the resilience of rural farming households who rely solely on their produce to feed families, repay loans, and save for future seasons.

 

The Space of Agric Insurance

 

Against this backdrop, agricultural insurance is gaining attention as a potential game changer. Specifically, weather-index insurance is offering a beacon of hope. This is a product that pays farmers automatically when certain climate thresholds, like lack of rainfall, are breached.

 

Organizations like the Ghana Agricultural Insurance Pool (GAIP), in collaboration with development partners and agri-tech startups have started piloting insurance schemes that cater to smallholder farmers.

 

“Through our efforts, we have helped countless farmers recover from losses, enhance their productivity, and adopt more sustainable farming practices. GAIP’s insurance coverage provides peace of mind, allowing farmers to invest confidently in their operations, knowing that they are protected against unforeseen events,” noted the organization.

 

Rice farmer, Awoyaa, recounts her relief after receiving a payout when torrential rains destroyed her field. "The insurance didn’t bring back my rice, but it helped me replant. I didn’t have to borrow money this time,” she says.

 

The model involves farmers sign up, pay a subsidized premium, sometimes bundled with seeds or fertilizer, and receiving compensation if weather conditions meet the insured criteria.

 

Agricultural economist, Dr. Jonas Osei-Adu, describes insurance cover for farmers as very critical.

 

“With good insurance, you can get funding from the banks,” he said. “When you go to the banks the first thing they look at is risk. So for us to be able to actually unlock capital, agric insurance is very critical”.

 

Despite its potential, agricultural insurance in Ghana remains underutilized. Less than 5% of the country’s farmers are covered. Barriers include lack of awareness, limited digital access, trust issues, and affordability concerns.

 

Dr. Osei-Adu acknowledged the general low insurance penetration in the country but believes with education insurance uptake will improve.

 

“One of the challenges has to do with convincing farmers to pay insurance premiums, but if we are able to educate them to take up insurance, access to capital will be eased to propel our agriculture to another level,” he said.

 

Government and private sector players are increasingly recognizing the strategic role insurance can play in agricultural resilience. The National Insurance Commission (NIC) is collaborating with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to develop policies that integrate crop insurance into national agricultural extension services.

 

Reducing risks of farming enterprises

 

Agronomist, Dr. Michael Odenkey Quaye of the Department of Agriculture Science Education at the University of Education, Winneba, says there should be opportunities to reduce the risks of farming enterprises.

 

He says early warning systems must be in place for the meteorological agency to support farmers with accurate weather forecast, while the scientific community looks at breeding seed varieties which are drought resistant and resilient to the harsh weather condition.

 

“These should be incorporated into our farming enterprise so that in case one crop fails, the other will be there to support,” he stated.

 

Other climate smart agronomic practices, such as soil conservation and irrigation should also be promoted.

 

Dr. Osei-Adu shares similar perspective. He believes the insurance should move in tandem with access to good seeds, irrigation and mechanization through partnerships with research institutions and other commercial interest groups.

 

“Agric is a risky area because of the weather and other factors, but once your capacity is enhanced, you’re able to minimize the risk and it becomes a good business.

 

Back in Ejura, farmer Kofi says he would want to sign up for his first insurance policy, though he is cautious.

 

"I’m hoping that with this insurance, if the rains fail, I won’t lose everything,” he says.

 

As Ghana navigates its path through the climate crisis, integrating agricultural insurance into a broader resilience strategy will be key. This includes strengthening farmer cooperatives, improving forecasting systems, supporting women-led agribusinesses, and incentivizing insurers to expand to cover more farmers.

 

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This article is written by Kofi Adu Domfeh as part of a collaborative project between JoyNews, CDKN Ghana, and the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability at the University of Ghana, with funding from the CLARE R41 Opportunities Fund.

 

 

Ghana hosts high-level African climate strategy meeting ahead of COP31 and COP32

Ghana hosted a pivotal three-day strategic meeting of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), bringing together UNFCCC National Focal Points, African Lead Coordinators, and key partners to consolidate Africa’s common position ahead of the 31st and 32nd sessions of the Conference of the Parties (COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, and COP32 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia).

 

The meeting, held from March 30 to April 1, 2026, marks the first in-person strategic convening under Ghana’s chairmanship of the AGN.

 

It is delivering a practical roadmap to strengthen Africa’s negotiating platform, sharpen continental priorities, and reinforce coordination within the AGN and the broader African three-tier negotiation structure. 

 

Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse, welcoming participants, described the meeting as timely and critical.

 

“Africa’s strength in global climate negotiations has always been its unity. At this defining moment, we must reinforce that unity and ensure our collective voice continues to shape outcomes that reflect our realities and aspirations,” she stated.

 

Prof. Klutse underscored that Africa continues to face disproportionate climate impacts despite contributing the least to global emissions, emphasizing that climate action must be anchored in equity, justice, and adequate support.

 

She highlighted key priorities for Africa, including scaled-up and predictable climate finance, enhanced adaptation efforts, capitalization of major UNFCCC funds, and equitable access to technology and capacity-building support.

 

The meeting also recognises a historic milestone for Ghana, as Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah assumes leadership of the AGN—the first time the country has chaired the group since signing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992.

 

Delivering the keynote address, Minister of State at the Office of the President for Climate Change and Sustainability, Baba Issifu Seidu, stressed that the global climate process has entered a critical phase focused on implementation, accountability, and delivery.

 

“Africa must position itself not only as a participant, but as a driver of outcomes across all negotiation tracks,” he said.

 

The Minister outlined priority areas for Africa’s engagement, including advancing the Global Goal on Adaptation with measurable, flexible, and impact-driven indicators; ensuring clarity, adequacy, and accessibility of climate finance under the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG); and safeguarding equity within the Mitigation Work Programme, while supporting just transitions, energy access, and economic transformation.

 

He emphasized that climate finance remains a matter of equity and trust, and that without accessible and adequate funding, adaptation and mitigation efforts will fall short.

 

The Strategic Meeting featured both open and closed sessions. The open session focused on partner dialogue and Africa’s engagement in global platforms such as the G20, while subsequent closed sessions drove thematic alignment, develop negotiation instructions, and establish coordination mechanisms for effective follow-through.

 

Participants produced clear decisions, identify outstanding issues, assign responsibilities, and agree on immediate next steps to guide Africa’s climate diplomacy through the 2026–2027 biennium.

 

As Africa prepares to host COP32 in Addis Ababa, the meeting is seen as a critical opportunity for the continent to consolidate its voice and influence global climate outcomes.

 

“The future of Africa will not be defined by negotiations alone, but by how effectively we shape them,” Mr. Seidu noted. “This is the moment for Africa to act with unity, purpose, and resolve.”

 

Ghana reaffirmed its commitment to climate resilience and inclusive development through national frameworks, including adaptation planning and nationally determined contributions, while calling for strengthened regional cooperation.

 

The Government of Ghana and the Environmental Protection Authority expressed confidence that the outcomes of the meeting will position Africa to engage more effectively and strategically in upcoming global climate negotiations.

 

 According to Augustine Njamshi of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), “Africa cannot afford to treat COP31 and COP32 as routine negotiation cycles. We must see them as strategic turning points. The reality is that we have become very skilled at defending positions. And we now understand, from our many years in these global policy arenas, that positions alone do not alter outcomes. Recent COP decisions highlight the issue. The financial outcome from COP29 fell short of what science, equity and fairness require.”

 

By Kofi Adu Domfeh

Climate Evidence: Sustaining Ghana’s farming glory under climate stress

Climate variability has become one of the most destabilizing forces confronting Ghana’s agriculture sector, which contributes about 20 percent of GDP and employs more than a third of the national workforce.

 

Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, prolonged dry spells and shifting growing seasons are steadily eroding yields and confidence in farming.

 

According to the Ghana Meteorological Agency and regional climate assessments, average temperatures in Ghana have increased by about 1°C over the past six decades, while rainfall patterns have grown increasingly unpredictable.

 

The World Bank projects that without adaptation, climate change could reduce crop yields in Sub-Saharan Africa by up to 20 percent by 2050.

 

For Ghana’s predominantly rain-fed agricultural system, where less than 3 percent of arable land is under irrigation, the stakes are particularly high.

As harvests become uncertain, young people increasingly turn away from agriculture, perceiving it as high risk and low return.

 

Experts point to an aging agricultural population, a demographic shift that raises urgent sustainability concerns, and insist that reversing agriculture’s decline under climate stress demands bold, coordinated national action.

 

“Unfortunately, if you check our agriculture population, you’ll realize that over 80 percent of our farmers are people who are aged 65 and above; and that is dangerous,” noted Bismark Owusu Nortey, Executive Director of Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana.

 

National labour data consistently show that youth participation in primary agriculture has been declining, even as youth unemployment and underemployment remain pressing concerns.

 

Bismark Nortey says attracting young people into agriculture remains a major hurdle. Beyond access to finance and infrastructure, climate risk looms large.

 

“Now the question is why are we not getting young people actively participating?” he quizzed. “Aside the financing, the infrastructure which is not there, the risk of climate change and the fact that the youth are not able to appreciate and use the available technologies to integrate farming into their system is a big challenge that we need to address.”

 

In Techimantia in the Tano South Municipality of the Ahafo Region, farmer Nana Owusu Debright describes the harsh reality on the ground. When the rains delay, livelihoods stall, and local economies slow.

 

“We are sowing our seed before the rain; so one of the major problems is rainfall. Right now we are waiting for water, if it rains today, none of us the community people will sit at home tomorrow; they will go to farm to sow,” he expressed.

 

His experience reflects broader vulnerability across cocoa, maize, and vegetable-producing belts where rainfall onset and cessation have become less predictable.

 

For agronomist Dr. Michael Odenkey Quaye of the Department of Agriculture Science Education at the University of Education, Winneba, climate change presents both a challenge and an untapped opportunity. Global research increasingly highlights climate-smart agriculture – combining productivity, adaptation and mitigation – as a pathway to resilience.

 

He argues that innovation, particularly climate-smart solutions, could open new pathways for youth participation.

 

“People can set up businesses that produces biochar, which is technically charcoal that can be used as soil amendment; something we can put into the soil and it improves the physical and chemical properties of the soil, increases yield. So as a climate intervention, biochar can be an entrepreneurial opportunity for young people,” said Dr. Odenkey Quaye.

 

Biochar, promoted in several climate adaptation frameworks, enhances soil fertility while sequestering carbon, aligning productivity with environmental sustainability.

 

But transformation, he insists, will require deliberate policy shifts, making agriculture profitable and future-ready. That includes strengthening school curricula to integrate agri-entrepreneurship, improving access to land and farm inputs, expanding irrigation infrastructure, and guaranteeing markets for produce.

 

Agricultural economist, Dr. Jonas Osei-Adu, believes youth inclusion is possible, but only if climate-smart agriculture policies move beyond rhetoric. Ghana has launched several initiatives, including the Planting for Food and Jobs programme and green economy strategies, yet implementation gaps persist.

 

“It’s about risk. If the youth goes for a loan [to venture farming] and has to depend on rain, how would he or she be motivated?” he quizzed. “We need to move away from rain fed agriculture to irrigation.”

 

Expanding irrigation coverage, experts argue, would significantly reduce climate risk exposure and improve creditworthiness for young farmers.

 

Opportunities, however, extend far beyond tilling the soil, says Electronic and Communication Engineer Dr. Kwame Onwona-Simpe. Across Africa, digital agriculture is projected to become a multi-billion-dollar industry, driven by precision farming tools, climate advisory services, remote sensing, drone technology and agribusiness platforms.

 

He points to technology-driven roles across the agriculture value chain, from precision farming to climate monitoring systems, as viable entry points for young professionals.

 

“The agriculture value chain is wide and almost every skill in visible. Today we are having youth unemployment, but everybody can be captured in the agriculture sector and that could save us the unemployment and other social vices,” he said.

 

As climate stress intensifies, the future of Ghana’s agriculture hinges not only on rainfall patterns, but on policy clarity, innovation, risk-sharing mechanisms and the courage to reposition farming as a resilient and profitable enterprise for the next generation.

 

Bismark Nortey cautions that youth engagement will require structured, strategic support to scale climate-smart technologies and ensure sustainability.

 

“If you look at the policy space, we have a lot of policy guidelines, including the Green Jobs Strategy and the Youth Employment strategy. All these policy documents clearly state what should be done to integrate climate smart technologies, but unfortunately, the youth are not even aware; there is no policy space for then to go and find solace or support in training, capacity and linkage to opportunity for them.

 

“We could create a hub, like a resource hub, where these youth would be able to go there and seek information, seek the right channels that they can use to expand the work that they are doing,” he suggested.

 

Sustaining Ghana’s farming glory under climate stress will therefore require more than hope for rainfall. It demands investment in irrigation, innovation ecosystems, accessible finance, and structured youth engagement, turning climate risk into opportunity and securing the future of food production.

 

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This article is written by Kofi Adu Domfeh as part of a collaborative project between JoyNews, CDKN Ghana, and the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability at the University of Ghana, with funding from the CLARE R41 Opportunities Fund.