Sankana: The USAID Feed the Future Ghana PolicyLink Activity has called upon farmers to adopt climate-smart agricultural technologies to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis on their farming operations. This appeal underscores the critical connection between climate change and agricultural productivity and highlights the necessity for communities, particularly farmers, to refrain from activities exacerbating global warming. According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Issah Toyibu, Regional Programme Specialist at PolicyLink, made this appeal during a sensitization durbar in Sankana, located in the Nadowli-Kaleo District. The event was part of the National Climate Change and Green Economy week and aimed to raise awareness about human activities contributing to global warming. The focus was on the significance of climate information in facilitating climate change adaptation and strategies that promote the sustainable use of water and forest resources. Mr. Toyibu expressed optimism that communities would adopt n ew agricultural technologies and climate-smart practices to adapt to climate change, thereby reducing activities that contribute to the phenomenon. He highlighted PolicyLink's efforts in influencing agricultural policies through initiatives like the Leading for Change (L4C) activity, which trains young people to impact policy at the community level. Mr. Kelvin Adongo, Assistant Programme Officer at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), emphasized the importance of awareness creation and sensitization to achieve effective climate change adaptation and mitigation. He noted the low level of climate change awareness in communities and stressed the necessity of events like the durbar to educate and encourage decisive action. Mr. Adongo advised against indiscriminate tree felling and farming along water bodies, activities that harm water and forest resources and contribute to climate change. He urged communities to minimize these practices and adopt good agricultural methods to combat climate change. Mr. Al phonsus Abobo from the Upper West Regional Agriculture Directorate highlighted the urgency of addressing climate change to prevent severe future consequences. He called on farmers to stop clearing trees entirely and instead practice selective stamping to mitigate climate impacts. Mr. Nicholas Tiereke, Nadowli-Kaleo District Director of Agriculture, lamented the recent drought's impact on over 4,000 farmers in the district. He appealed for financial and food support to assist those affected by the disaster. Women at the durbar voiced their reluctance to cut trees for charcoal but cited a lack of alternative livelihoods, particularly in the dry season. They urged the government and development partners to rehabilitate the Sankana irrigation dam to enable dry season gardening as an alternative to charcoal production. ZCZC

CEMLAWS Hosts Workshop to Address Challenges in Ghana's Fishery Industry

Accra: The Centre for Maritime Law and Security (CEMLAWS), in collaboration with the University of Cape Coast and the Centre for Coastal Management (CCM), organized a workshop aimed at addressing the challenges posed by foreign distant water fishing vessels to Ghana's fishery industry. The workshop, funded by the United States Department of State, focused on promoting transparency and accountability while building local capacity for effective monitoring and surveillance. According to Ghana News Agency, stakeholders present at the workshop included representatives from the Ghana Port and Harbor Authority, the fisheries commission, and professors from the University of Cape Coast. Dr. Kamal-Deen Ali, a retired naval captain and representative of CEMLAWS, emphasized the importance of the Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance (MCS) pilot training project. He highlighted that the project aims to ensure comprehensive and swift implementation of fishery management measures, fostering compliance over enforcement. D r. Ali underscored the need for personnel in the fishery sector to be well-regulated and informed about legal and jurisdictional regulations to effectively govern foreign distant water vessels. He noted that the project had already trained journalists and civil society members across several African countries, enhancing capacity in countries such as Benin, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mauritania, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. Despite the progress, Dr. Ali called for stronger collaboration and policy implementation to manage the maritime environment effectively. He pointed out that Ghana had not fully harnessed its fishery resources, resulting in setbacks in sustainability, food security, and resource management. A significant issue identified was the high export rate of raw materials, leading to a loss of potential output. Dr. Ali stressed the importance of registering and licensing foreign vessels with the Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) in Ghana to ensure that profits are accurately reflected w ithin the country. Professor Denis Aheto of CCM encouraged participants to seek scholarships for international studies to enhance Ghana's quality control and surveillance capabilities. The workshop provided training on maritime jurisdictions, including legal rights, exclusive economic zones, and institutional frameworks that cover national, regional, bilateral, and multilateral arrangements. Participants were equipped with knowledge on balancing legal rights, interests, and sovereign rights for the exploitation and management of resources.