The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana is calling on the government to create an Agricultural Emergency Response Fund to help farmers who could suffer losses from weather conditions linked to the expected El Niño.
The Association says the fund would provide quick financial support and compensation to farmers whose investments and livelihoods are harmed by extreme weather. It would also help protect agricultural production.
The Association’s Executive Director, Bismark Nortey, said the government should do more than issue weather forecasts and introduce practical measures to lessen the impact on farmers.
“We need to set or establish an Agricultural Emergency Response Fund where we are able to capitalise it and get some money ready, so that when this situation occurs and some farmers are affected, they can easily fall on those funds to provide adequate compensation,” he said.
Mr Nortey outlined a three-stage plan: preparing ahead of time, providing immediate help during a crisis and making long-term investments to build the resilience of agriculture.
He said the government should work with relevant agencies to identify farming communities at risk, improve agricultural extension services and share climate information on time in languages farmers can understand.
He added that when harsh weather strikes, authorities should help farmers access climate-resilient supplies, especially early-maturing seeds, to reduce crop losses.
In addition to emergency assistance, Mr Nortey said continued investment in irrigation would be essential to make agriculture less dependent on rainfall and protect production.
He warned that poor preparation could put food security at risk, drive food prices higher and leave farmers less able to invest in future production.
Mr Nortey pointed to the prolonged dry spell in 2024, which he said affected more than 400,000 farmers and caused major losses to livelihoods and farm investments.
The Association is therefore urging officials to put an early response plan in place to reduce the possible economic impact of the expected weather disruption.