Food systems stakeholders in Ghana have endorsed a new climate tool by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), saying it will sharpen agricultural adaptation and investment decisions across the country.
The Climate Vulnerability Assessment Tool (ClimVAT), developed from a national assessment AGRA conducted between 2024 and 2025, combines climate, soil, and socioeconomic data to generate high-resolution maps of climate exposure, agricultural sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Stakeholders reviewed its application at a national domestication workshop in Accra, the second such session after an earlier one in Tamale.
Decision-makers can use ClimVAT to pinpoint which districts carry the heaviest climate burden and identify communities where women, youth, and persons with disability face the greatest pressure. Gender Consultant Dr. Paul Yao Anani noted the tool gives policymakers precise, evidence-based guidance on where to shift support, replacing guesswork with verified spatial data.
Climate Policy Consultant Dr. Shaibu Baanni Azumah said ClimVAT lets users compare national and local vulnerability indices, prioritize adaptation policies, and channel resources toward regions that existing programs have largely bypassed.
“Without dealing with climate change, poverty issues cannot be dealt with,” said Dr. Kindie Tesfaye Fantaye, Head of Climate Adaptation and Resilience at AGRA, making the case for urgent, data-driven planning.
Dr. Mawulawoe Awity, Principal Research Assistant and Maize Breeder at the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) at the University of Ghana, said the tool allows breeders to develop crop strategies aligned with shifting climate realities on the ground.
AGRA is now working to anchor ClimVAT within Ghana’s national policy framework, targeting institutions such as the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as primary users. The organization will extend similar workshops to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
