Understanding climate services for enhancing resilient agricultural systems in Anglophone West Africa: The case of Ghana

Abstract

Abstract Whilst the capability of climate services to reduce climate impacts is alluring, empirical evidence on how best to mainstream climate information services in Africa is lacking.\xa0This paper determines how climate information services have been incorporated into national policies by Anglophone West African states for building agricultural resilience and provides a detailed analysis of issues facing Ghanaian agricultural systems. The paper addresses the questions: (i) to what extent is climate change recognised as a threat to agricultural development in national climate facing policies of Anglophone West African states? (ii) to what extent have climate information services been incorporated into national and regional policy frameworks of Anglophone West African states for resilient agricultural systems? (iii) what are the key challenges in mainstreaming climate information services into national policies for resilient agricultural building in Ghana? The study employed thematic content analysis, multi-stakeholder workshops and expert interviews to understand climate discourses around climate services. Findings show that climate change is highlighted in national and regional level policies as a serious threat to socioeconomic development and agricultural productivity in West Africa. Anglophone West Africa countries are at various stages in establishing a National Framework for Climate Services to help guide future adaptation planning. This study shows that Anglophone West African states have not yet incorporated climate information services into strategic national and regional climate facing policies that are critical in shaping efforts aimed at managing climate risks. For the case of Ghana, the study reveals low awareness of climate change among policy-makers, human and institutional capacity constraints as some of the key factors militating against the mainstreaming of climate information services. Capacity building of policy makers and institutional strengthening are both vital for more effective mainstreaming of climate services across West Africa.