FAO predicts stable rainfall to aid crops’ recovery

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) has forecasted a stable rainfall pattern in the month of October through to November – likely to support a partial recovery for crop conditions in the country’s northern sector.

The GIEWS, in its country (Ghana) brief for the months of September and October this year stated: “Weather forecasts for September and October through to November indicate a high probability of average to above‑average rainfall amounts across most of the country, which could support a partial recovery of crop conditions in northern areas”.

The prediction has renewed farmers’ anticipation of a full return to weather normalcy as they seek to recover losses incurred during the dry spells.

From June till August this year, hectares of maize and other cereal cultivations in the country’s northern sector were destroyed by drought and dry weather conditions, leaving farmers desperate for solutions.

The situation was worse in the northern belt and maize fields in the Sissala districts of Upper West Region, where hundreds of hectares of farms have been roasted and destroyed in the heat-wave.

During the period, dry weather conditions in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions also exerted pressure on the middle belt agriculture zone, where farming communities were plagued with fall army worms which fed on crops.

These happenings, according to agriculture sector stakeholders, could have been improved had irrigation and merchandised farming been given priority as key drivers of the country’s food production agenda.

However, GIEWS – which has established itself as the world’s leading source of information and respected authority on global food production, consumption and trade – maintained that more conducive weather conditions in key‑producing southern areas are likely to avert a major reduction of the 2024 aggregate national cereal output.

Though harvesting the 2024 main season cereal crops started this August and is expected to be concluded by December in the northern regions, GIEWS noted high production prospects are uncertain due to the dry conditions.

It says the prolonged dry spells in the north are likely to cause production declines compared to last year’s above‑average level.

The agency disclosed that it is conducting household assessments to determine the extent of impacts from recent dry weather conditions in northern areas, where significant production shortfalls are likely to affect local food security conditions.