Twelfth Session of Commission for Agrometeorology opens

Accra (Greater Accra), 19 Feb. '99 -

The 12th Session of the Commission for Agrometeorology CAgm) opened in Accra today with speakers urging the commission to provide timely and relevant information to farmers, especially in the developing world, to improve food production. The speakers noted that there have been an increasing swing in the weather and climate.

Farmers in developing countries who are more vulnerable to climate-related change and natural disaster, therefore, need accurate prediction and forecast to plan their activities. The speakers include the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Professor Godwin Olu Patrick Obasi, Mr John Mahama, Minister of Communications, Mr J.H. Owusu Acheampong, Minister of Food and Agriculture and Professor Kees Stigter, President CAgm.

Under the theme: "Weather, Climate and Agriculture," the session is being attended by over 100 delegates from all over the world. It will, among other things, draw up a programme for the Commission for 1999 to 2002. Ghana is the first country in Africa to host the conference of a WMO session. Prof. Obasi asked the session to consider ways to identify regions most vulnerable to climate variability and promote the use of forecasts in agriculture.

"The WMO is collaborating with national and international research programmes and institutions to further improve the prediction of climate variability on the scale of weeks to seasons or even years. "Such predictions will have a tremendous impact on the contribution of National Meteorological and Hydrological services (NMHS) to agricultural planning and production". Prof. Obasi said they should develop strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change and variability and take advantage of any improved conditions which may arise to enhance agricultural production. Prof. Obasi expressed concern about the spate of natural disasters in the past years pointing out that global losses from climate and weather-related events in the 1990s are about six times the level of those of the 1980s.

"In the first half of the 1990s alone, the cost worldwide is 162 billion U.S. dollars compared to just 54 billion dollars for the entire decade of the 1980s with a large proportion of the estimated losses, being in the agricultural sector. Agriculture is the sector most sensitive to variability in the weather and climate". He said the 1990s have recorded alarming cases of floods, tropical cyclones, droughts, El-Nino and other climatic catastrophes. "I am aware of the hardship that the people of Ghana had to endure because of the low level of the famous Volta Hydro Electric Dam at Akosombo during the 1997-1998 El-Nino event." He urged governments in both developed and developing countries to implement the United Nations Conventions on the protection of the environment. Prof Obasi called on the Commission to consider the impact of commercialisation of NMHSs on the provision of agrometeorological services, training requirements and development of agrometeorological capacities in the developing countries. The promotion of increased participation of experts from developing countries in the work of the Commission must also be considered. Mr Mahama said since agricultural production in Africa is largely small-scale, data on agrometeorology must be presented in a manner that would be beneficial to them. He expressed the determination of the government of Ghana to improve meteorological services and create greater awareness on how weather and climate affect day-to-day activities, especially farming. "For this reason, in our forthcoming Communications Policy we have aimed at establishing a mechanism to facilitate the availability of Communications Infrastructure among all meteorological stations within the country. "The Central Analysis and Forecast Office (CAFO) and the National Meteorological Headquarters and the Meteorological Service Department are to be assisted to acquire and install vital and up-to-date equipment". The department will also be assisted to upgrade its data base taking advantage of Information and Communication Technology to make data available on-line to local and external users. Mr Mahama urged the delegates to familiarise themselves with Ghana's weather and climatic conditions during the session and use it as a case study during the session. Mr Owusu-Acheampong underscored the importance of agriculture to the economy and said the Ministry has been collaborating with the Meteo Department to enhance food production. The nine-day session will discuss issues such as farming practices, forestry, livestock management and land use and the economic impacts of flooding and surges resulting in inundation, especially of coastal locations. The Commission for Agrometeorology is responsible for the application of meteorology to agricultural farming systems, forestry, livestock management and agricultural land use. It takes into consideration meteorology and agricultural development in both the scientific and practical fields. It also develops agricultural meteorology services of member- countries by the transfer of knowledge and methodology, through advice on a wide range of issues.