Government Introduces New System to Boost Climate-Smart Agriculture
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has rolled out a pilot climate modelling system aimed at improving early warning alerts and strengthening climate-smart agriculture across the country.
Sector Minister Mr. Eric Opoku announced the initiative during the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Monday. He revealed that more than 1,000 farmers in 15 regions are already receiving climate advisory messages via SMS and voice calls, with a nationwide rollout expected in early December. Tens of thousands of farmers are expected to benefit once fully deployed.
“This model enables farmers to better prepare for rainfall patterns, temperature shifts, and potential weather disruptions,” Mr. Opoku said.
The new system forms part of a broader climate intelligence framework that includes automated weather monitoring, digital advisory services, and community information channels. So far, 20 automated weather stations have been installed nationwide, including 11 in Senior High Schools where climate clubs have been established to promote environmental education.
Mr. Opoku also disclosed that a new Management Information System is being developed to integrate data from both manual and automated weather stations to further improve forecast accuracy.
To ensure broad accessibility, MoFA is working with the Ministry of Communications to deliver free SMS alerts to farmers. Updates will also be shared through local radio stations, community information centres, and agricultural extension officers in local languages.
The Minister added that the climate intelligence system is supported by a network of 70,000 community commodity-based cooperatives, facilitating rapid information sharing among rural farmers. He also highlighted the deployment of the EMA-i+ animal health surveillance platform, which allows farmers to report livestock diseases in real time.
Mr. Opoku noted that these monitoring and advisory initiatives signal a major shift toward data-driven agriculture in Ghana.
