The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has admitted that it was caught off guard by the severity of the ongoing drought affecting northern Ghana.
The drought, which has persisted for over a month and a half, has devastated farms across the region, leading farmers to urgently seek government assistance.
Tanko Bagbara, Head of Public Relations at MoFA, revealed that despite the ministry’s close collaboration with the Ghana Meteorological Agency, they did not anticipate the drought’s escalation to such catastrophic levels.
“The Ministry [of Food and Agriculture] has worked closely with the meteorological station over the period, and we do heed their advice. However, we did not foresee this, and I do not want to blame anybody because rain-fed agriculture is inherently unpredictable,” Mr. Tanko explained.
In response to the crisis, MoFA is currently compiling data on the affected farmers in anticipation of government intervention.
Mr. Tanko noted that the ministry is actively gathering information from eight regions, including the Upper East and Northern regions, where the drought has been most severe.
“The Ministry is still collecting data. As of now, eight regions have been affected, with the Upper East and Northern regions being the latest to experience the drought. The data we are collecting will inform the government’s decision-making process moving forward,” Mr. Tanko stated.
He further mentioned that President Akufo-Addo had hinted at forthcoming government interventions to mitigate the drought’s impact.
“Certainly, this situation will affect food security because many farms have been completely lost, and even if it rains today, those farms cannot be recovered. The ministry is compiling data, and the government will soon announce interventions to address the situation,” he added.
The prolonged drought has raised concerns about the potential threat to food security in northern Ghana, with MoFA’s efforts now focused on coordinating an effective response to support the affected farmers and mitigate the crisis.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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