MoFA, GMET customises weather and climate services to boost agricultural productivity

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has developed a new initiative to provide customized weather and climate services to farmers and stakeholders in Ghana.

The initiative, which is part of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) Phase II (PFJ 2.0) program, aims to improve agricultural productivity and food security in the country.

The collaboration between MoFA's Food Security Research Program (FSRP) and the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) will provide specific products and services for different agro-ecological zones, allowing farmers to make informed decisions based on accurate weather and climate forecasts.

The program will develop regional crop calendars for maize, rice, sorghum, and soybeans, as well as generic broiler production calendars. Additionally, customized agricultural climate and weather products will be provided for all 261 districts and 16 regions, with corresponding advisories.

"We are excited to launch this initiative, which will help farmers make better decisions about planting, harvesting, and pest management," said the Minister for Food and Agriculture Dr. Bryan Acheampong at a validation meeting at the ministry “By providing accurate and reliable weather and climate information, we can reduce the risk of crop failures and improve productivity."

The program will also provide a platform for farmers to receive advisories and recommendations on weather-related events such as droughts, floods, and heatwaves. This will enable farmers to take proactive measures to mitigate the impact of these events on their crops.

The customised climate and weather products will be transmitted from the GMet's Management Information System (MIS) platform through an API to the Ghana Agriculture and Agribusiness Platform (GhAAP) portal. This will enable farmers to access the information in real-time, using various formats such as word, pdf, csv, jpeg, and API.

"This initiative aligns with Ghana's goal of sustainable agriculture and food security, which is a key component of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," said the Executive Director of GMet Dr. Eric Asuman "We are committed to providing accurate and reliable weather and climate information to support Ghana's agricultural sector."

The program is expected to impact agricultural productivity and food security in Ghana significantly. With accurate weather and climate information, farmers will be able to make better decisions about planting, harvesting, and pest management, which will improve yields and reduce crop failures.

Customized weather and climate services are a major step forward in Ghana's efforts to improve agricultural productivity and food security. The program is expected to have a positive impact on the country's agricultural sector, contributing to the achievement of SDG 13 on Climate Action.

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