By Iddi Yire
Accra, May 11, GNA – The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Advisory Unit of the Office of the President, in collaboration with the Global Green Growth Institute, has started discussions with stakeholders on how the agriculture sector can access climate finance and implement climate-resilient practices.
The discussions also aimed to enhance the understanding of the requirements, tools, processes, and essential concepts of climate finance, and in particular the Green Climate Finance (GCF).
The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organisation with 45 member countries, dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies.
A workshop was, therefore, organised in Accra on Wednesday by the SDGs Advisory Unit, in collaboration with the GGGI, on climate finance access for the agriculture sector to provide the opportunity for experts to share experiences and knowledge to build the capacity of stakeholders to transform the sector.
The two-day workshop was on the theme: “Reinforcement of key Agricultural National Institutions’ Capacity to have Access to Climate Finance.”
Participants were drawn from the SDGs Advisory Unit, the ministries of Finance, and Food and Agriculture, climate change related agencies, the Agricultural Development Bank, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Cocoa Research Institute, and other relevant key institutions.
Dr Felix Addo-Yobo, the Deputy Director and Special Advisor of the SDGs Advisory Unit of the President’s Office, said climate change posed significant threats to the agricultural sector, hence access to climate finance was essential for the sector to adapt to the impacts of climate change and reduce its carbon footprint.
The Government had agreed to be part of the GGGI and Ghana was in the process of becoming a full-fledged member, he said.
The workshop was part of Ghana’s collaborative efforts with the GGGI to leverage expertise in climate finance to help build capacity and tap into the numerous funds available.
The GGGI Head and Regional Director for Africa, Dr Malle Fofana, expressed the hope that the workshop would help bridge the gap between the finance and agricultural sectors and stimulate new partnerships and initiatives to increase access to climate finance.
He said the GGGI Green Investment Services and Climate Finance practice aimed to support partner states in mobilising finance needed for meeting their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for sectors like agriculture and green targets.
Madam Adwoa Fraikue, Chief Economics Officer, Ministry of Finance, underscored the need for Ghana to access funding as part of efforts to address climate change.
Addressing climate change was critical to advancing the nation’s sustainable development, she said.
GNA