By Solomon Gumah
Savelugu (N/R), March 28, GNA – A day’s farmer-led engagement forum to enhance the knowledge of smallholder farmer communities on climate adaptation and resilience has been held at Savelugu in the Northern Region.
It was to provide the platform for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other key actors in the agricultural sector the opportunity to educate farmers in the area on some of their projects and interventions, which were crucial to helping them protect the environment and also enhance food production.
It formed part of the GoAdapt Project, which is being implemented by a consortium of NGOs, including Changing Lives in Innovative Partnerships (CLIP) as the lead implementer, YEFL-Ghana, and Ghana Venskab, a Danish organisation, with funding support from CISU.
The GoAdapt Project is being implemented in Savelugu, Tolon, Nanton and Kumbungu Districts of thr Northern Region.
It seeks to support inclusive climate adaptation planning, using the butoom-up approach and helping to create more awareness and build the adaptation capacity of vulnerable communities to become more resilient to climate change.
Mr Nurudeen Ibrahim, Coordinator, GoAdapt Project, YEFL-Ghana, speaking during the forum, said it was to help smallholder farmer communities in the area to understand and appreciate some of the projects and opportunities available at the EPA and other sectors of agriculture, and how farmers could leverage on those interventions to safeguard the environment and enhance food production.
He said it was also to enable farmers to present some of their adaptation challenges and other mitigation measures in order to receive answers from the EPA.
Mr Karim Jato Sayibu, Programmes Officer, EPA, Northern Region, outlined some of the interventions being implemented by the EPA to enhance climate adaptation and resilience, which included the Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small Scale Mining project, Ghana Environmental Management project, Ghana Climate Adaptation initiative, and Ghana Sustainable Land and Water Management project, among others.
He said EPA had embarked on series of comprehensive training and education through the effective use of both digital and traditional platforms to sensitise farmers on issues of climate adaptation and resilience.
He said EPA was also providing farmers with various seedlings whilst building the capacity of local groups and other climate reporters, and urged communities to take advantage of the initiatives.
He called for attitudinal change and admonished opinion leaders to refrain from meddling in issues of climate change, saying its impact affected the livelihoods of members of the community.
Smallholder farmers, who participated in the event, made presentations on some of the causes of climate change, effects and proposed some adaptation and mitigating measures.
They called for the enactment and enforcement of by-laws to help protect the environment from further degradation.
They further called for effective collaboration between the EPA, Forestry Commission, Ministry of Food and Agriculture and farmers to ensure timely provision of seedlings and other interventions to help in food production.
Similar engagements have been organised for all the beneficiary districts under the project.
GNA