Ghana: Northern, middle belt agricultural zone in crisis

Drought and army worm invasions are causing significant damage to maize and other cereal crops in Ghana's Northern region, with the Sissala district of the Upper West Region and many areas in the Northern Region being severely affected. The country's inability to utilize its 104 central pivot irrigation systems, coupled with the failure of a US$99 million dam project, has exacerbated the situation. The World Bank's investment in climate smart agriculture has not noticeably improved irrigation usage, with less than 3% of Ghana's cultivated land benefiting from irrigation. Additionally, dry weather in the Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo Regions has led to a surge in crop damages due to fall army worms and black insects, escalating prices for key commodities. The Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana has called for the establishment of a National Agriculture Risk Management Coordination Centre and the transfer of agricultural management and advisory roles to technocrats to mitigate these risks and enhance food security.