“The dry season is the time of year that truly prevents farmers from planting and even from going out to the fields to cultivate them. On my farmland, pineapple flowers turn yellow and the fruits rot before they are ripe for the market, which reduces income at the end of the day.
Using irrigation systems on our fields is very expensive, and since we cannot afford it, we have to face nature and its consequences. The dry season is the main problem that I and other farmers in my region and across the country are struggling with. Food prices have risen in my country because there is not enough food to feed everyone. Only those who can afford it survive easily, while those who cannot struggle to survive.
The dry season has a negative impact on crops, farmers, livestock, and a large part of the population, especially middle- and low-income people as well as the unemployed.”
– Theophilius Baah, pineapple farmer in the Eastern Region of Ghana.
(2025)
LAND USE IN GHANA
More than half of the land area is used for agriculture, with 80% of agricultural holdings directly dependent on rainfall, making them particularly vulnerable to irregular precipitation.²
West Africa, including Ghana, is identified as a hotspot of climate change. The region is grappling with rapid population growth of 2.8% per year and shrinking natural resources. Projections indicate that temperatures will continue to rise and that extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts, and floods will increase in both frequency and intensity. In Ghana, these fluctuations affect the entire agricultural value chain—from production through to political and economic framework conditions.¹
