Scientists at the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) are ramping up efforts to improve agricultural practices in Ghana and across West Africa, focusing on combating climate change and reducing the impact of dry spells in Ghana.

These efforts are part of a broader strategy to mitigate the negative environmental impact of traditional farming methods while ensuring that the country’s agricultural sector remains resilient in the face of a rapidly changing climate.

Reginald T. Guuroh, a senior research scientist at the CSRI reiterated the centre’s commitment to ensuring a more sustainable agricultural practices in the country through education.

He further indicated that, the institute was poised to address the recurring dry spells in the country and had introduced drought-resistant crop varieties to farmers.

“Our colleagues who work in the Crop Reasearch Institute have done a lot in developing new varieties of crops that are draught tolerant and also mature in shorter time than the traditional ones…The varieties cut across from cereals to tubers,” he stated.

Anja Linstaedter, a professor with the University of Potsdam, Germany and the Overall Consortium Principal Investigator for Greenhouse Gas Determination in West Africa’s Agricultural Landscape Project, GREENGADE, said the project was aimed at closing the research gaps with respect to greenhouse gas emissions in the West African Region.

“We are closing tremendously the research gaps of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon stocks, thus, ensuring proper agricultural practices in West Africa,” he stated.