Climate Change; The Looming Crisis In Ghana.

Climate change has become one of the most talked about environmental issues both nationally and internationally. Ghana is mainly characterized by savannah vegetation which is made up of mostly short trees and grasses, and the forest vegetation mostly found in the southern part of the country. As an agrarian society, continual depending on firewood as a source of energy as well as crude method of farming has led to the degradation of the environment.

The decline in agricultural production as a results of reduction in soil fertility due to erratic rainfall, severe harmattan, deforestation and change in weather have a dire consequence on the society. The variation in rainfall patterns adversely affect agricultural activity since farming in Ghana is dependent on rain. The effects of climate change on the environment coupled with severe harmattan are becoming the new normal that we'll have to leave with if measures are not put in place to curb it.

Local communities in Ghana are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and are also the most alienated when it comes to decision and strategies to combat climate change. Amidst this challenge is underdevelopment, poverty, low literacy level and other myriad of problems especially in the Northern part and villages across the country.

The recent tidal waves in Keta municipal and Glefe in the Ablekuma South Constituency is a clear warning to us that one day, a whole town could submerged by the sea. With the abandoned sea defense project, these communities are still vulnerable to tidal waves. These phenomenon are caused by the rise of sea levels as well as coastal erosion. Sand weaning by the people is also an activity that goes on unchecked in most areas that are prone to tidal waves.

The lost of virgin forests in Ghana over the years has contributed to decline in rainfall as well as the rise of high temperatures. Over the years, Ghana has lost most of its forest to illegal chainsaw operators, rosewood smugglers, Galamsey and farming activities. These are activities government must take bold steps to mitigate or its looming effects would be difficult to adapt. Thus, the government should take bold steps to;

• Raise awareness and disseminate information in local languages: this is sensitizing the people on climate related problem, embarking on outreaches to schools and organizing training for students on how to protect the environment and adopt a tree
• In a participatory and needs assessment analysis, a common local variety of tree species should be adopted and famers train on how to nurse and care for these trees.
• Providing the farmers with the needed information on the best agronomy practices that is environmentally friendly.
• Intensive orientation on the need to preserve and police the environment from pollution.

Any attempt to solve this challenge should be aimed at working with communities, traditional rulers and all interested stakeholders to bring solutions to climate change using local participatory approach. Any project should be oriented at building the capacity of local farmers to adapt and mitigate against climate change in other for them to take charge of the environment. By engaging directly with local communities and augmenting indigenous knowledge, solutions to the menace of climate change would be tackled by building the capacity of communities to adapt and to mitigate climate change challenges.
I believe that government should take steps to mitigate climate change or its socio-economic and cultural effect cannot be dealt with in times of crisis.
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