The 18 students are beneficiaries of the European Union in Ghana scholarships under the Resilience Against Climate Change-Social Transformation Research and Policy Advocacy (REACH-STR) project.

The project is implemented by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in collaboration with the Centre for Migration Studies at the University of Ghana, the Simon Diedong Dombo

University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research- Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (CSIR-STEPRI).

The beneficiaries made up of 14 Masters and four PhD students conducted studies in four areas, gender, migration, climate resilience and policy action in some communities in the Savannah and the Upper West Regions to help in social transformation, and policy advocacy.

In their work, the students found that climate change was a real and lived experience for households in Northern Ghana and that Northwest Ghana is undergoing rapid, cultural, political, economic, demographic and all sorts of changes, which are influencing vulnerabilities and adaptation strategies.

The scholars stressed the urgent need for practical solutions, including climate-smart agriculture, strengthened institutional capacity, and gender-inclusive climate policies

The students also showed migration as a key adaptation strategy for both men and women in dealing with the effects of climate change.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Raqeebah Hisham, one of the students, whose research focused on climate change, migration and social transformation on gender in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region, said migration was continuously on the increase in both peri-urban and rural communities.

However, there is a bit of disparity between the terrain in which migration is happening.
"I found out for peri-urban communities, the men are migrating more. However, as the men are migrating more, they stay for longer durations than that of the women. On an average, the men stay for about three months or more, but the women stay for like just a month or less because they have children back at home to take care of them."

Another key finding, she said, was that the male counterparts of women who migrate were now being compelled to step in and do some chores that previously were female-dominated.

Similarly, the women are forced to cater for the households financially, which ideally is a patriarchal role for men in the community, when the male counterparts migrate.

She said while there were migration policies for men and women, these are, however, not made known to the people involved, especially the locals.
She urged policy advocates and stakeholders to make these migration policies known to the people directly involved in the migration, especially highlighting the gender sensitivity aspect of it.

This initiative marks a significant step in building climate-resilient communities, equipping young professionals with the skills and expertise to address climate change, migration, and gender-related challenges.

The graduation ceremony on the theme: "Building Capacity of the Next Generation for Climate Resilient Development," highlighted the achievements of four PhD and 14 Master's scholars.

Their research provides crucial insights into the interconnectedness of climate vulnerabilities and social transformation in Northwestern Ghana.

At the graduation ceremony, the Head of Cooperation at the EU in Ghana, Mr. Massimo Mina reaffirmed the EU's commitment to supporting research and capacity-building initiatives that empower young professionals to contribute to sustainable and inclusive development.
He said that the REACH-STR project is part of the broader EU-Ghana Agricultural Program (EUGAP), which integrates market-oriented agriculture, infrastructure development, and climate adaptation strategies.

Mr. Mina highlighted that climate resilience efforts must go beyond policy frameworks to practical implementation.

Dr. Birhanu Zemadim Deputy Country Representative at IWMI Ghana, thanked the European Union for its support and shared insights into the achievements and future potential of the REACH-STR project.

"This initiative is a testament to what can be achieved through international cooperation and a shared commitment to sustainable development," Dr. Zemadim noted.

Deputy Country Representative at IWMI Ghana, Dr. Birhanu Zemadim, also commended the scholars and acknowledged the strong partnership between IWMI, the EU, and academic institutions in delivering the REACH-STR project.

He noted that the initiative had successfully built the capacity of young researchers to tackle Ghana's most pressing climate-related challenges.
He stated, "The research carried out by these graduates holds the potential to influence policy and development interventions, ensuring they are grounded in social transformation and consider the multifaceted impacts of climate vulnerabilities on communities."