Ghana is taking a step toward climate-smart agriculture with the installation of 20 new Automated Weather Stations (AWS) as part of a national Agricultural Climate Intelligence System designed to strengthen food planning, improve early warning alerts, and guide farmers with real-time data.
The initiative, led by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) in collaboration with national and international climate partners, seeks to integrate advanced weather monitoring, predictive models, and digital advisory tools into Ghana’s food production system.
The new infrastructure forms part of a broader plan to modernise agricultural decision-making and reduce climate-related losses that have become increasingly frequent across farming communities.
MoFA says the 20 AWS units, strategically placed across major ecological zones, will collect high-frequency data on rainfall, temperature, wind patterns, soil moisture and evapotranspiration.
The information will feed into a national climate database, supporting a new climate model that is currently being piloted to forecast drought risks, flooding patterns, pest outbreaks and planting windows with greater accuracy.
According to experts guiding the programme, the system will provide timely alerts to farmers through a digital Management Information System (MIS) connected to extension officers, district agricultural departments and farmer-based organisations.
The MIS will consolidate weather observations, climate model outputs, and crop performance data, giving policymakers real-time visibility over national production trends and emerging threats to food security.
MoFA emphasise that climate intelligence has become essential as Ghana increasingly faces unpredictable rainfall, prolonged dry spells, and extreme weather events that damage crops and disrupt supply chains.
The new AWS network is intended to drastically improve the accuracy of information available to farmers, who often rely on inconsistent local predictions or traditional knowledge that no longer align with current climate patterns.
The early warning component is expected to be transformative for rural communities. MoFA says farmers will receive timely advisories on when to plant, irrigate or apply fertiliser based on current and forecasted conditions.
This will reduce crop failures caused by sudden weather changes, while enabling farmers to optimise water use, protect seeds, and manage pests more effectively. Extension officers will also use the system to plan field activities and respond quickly to climate-linked threats spreading through districts.
The real-time data is also expected to transform national food planning. With access to live forecasts and crop monitoring data, MoFA can adjust procurement needs, plan buffer stock releases and guide import decisions more accurately.
The system will also support long-term agricultural investment planning by identifying high-risk zones, estimating production shortfalls and informing climate-resilient seed distribution strategies.
MoFA expects the AWS installations to expand in 2026 as more district-level data centres come online.
The Ministry is also developing a national dashboard to visualise weather and crop information for planners, researchers and agribusinesses.
MoFA says the new climate intelligence system will help Ghana build a more resilient agricultural sector by reducing uncertainty, improving productivity and enhancing national food security in the face of worsening climate shocks.
