Prolonged dry spell threatens farming season in Upper East Region
A prolonged dry spell is raising fears of poor harvests among farmers in parts of the Upper East Region, with many saying weeks of little or no rainfall have placed their crops and livelihoods at risk.
For nearly a month, 42-year-old farmer Ziyaba Yen has watched his hopes of a successful farming season diminish as the rains that initially signalled the start of the season abruptly stopped.
Like many farmers in the Dagliga community in the Nabdam District, Mr Yen has been visiting his farm each day hoping for rainfall, only to return home disappointed as his young millet plants struggle to survive under the intense heat.
While a few farmers in low-lying areas have benefited from residual soil moisture, those farming on rocky and upland terrain in Nabdam, Talensi, Bolgatanga East and parts of Bawku West say the prolonged dry spell has severely disrupted their farming activities.
Unlike the previous farming season, when most farmers had completed planting by this period and were already expecting to harvest early millet, this year's growing season has been marked by uncertainty.
"We thought the rains had settled, so everyone rushed to prepare their land and sow, but for almost three weeks after planting, there has been little or no rain. Some of our seeds failed to germinate and those that did are struggling. Many farmers have not even been able to plough their lands," Mr Yen said.
Another farmer from Logre in the Nabdam District, Thomas Kolog, said the prolonged absence of rain after planting had dashed the hopes of many farmers.
"For more than three weeks after sowing, there has been little or no rain. The soil has become too hard and many of us cannot continue planting," he said.
According to him, maize planted after the first rains is already wilting under the scorching sun, leaving farmers uncertain about the outcome of the season.
At Zuarungu-Morshe in the Bolgatanga East District, farmer James Ayamga said the dry conditions have also made routine farm maintenance difficult.
"Weeds are competing with the crops, but the ground is too dry to weed effectively. If the rains continue to delay, many farmers may lose a greater portion of their harvest. In fact, we should have been preparing to harvest the early millet by the middle of this month, but as it stands, that is not possible," he lamented.
Farmers in the Talensi District say communities situated on rocky terrain have been hit even harder because the shallow soils lose moisture quickly after every rainfall.
Patrick Nyabil, a farmer from Tong-Zug, explained that unlike valley areas where the soil retains moisture for longer periods, upland farms dry out within days after rain.
"In the valleys, some farmers are managing because the soil retains moisture, but here on the rocky lands, everything dries up within a few days. Several farmers have not even started ploughing because there has not been enough rain to soften the land," he said.
He warned that many households depend entirely on rain-fed agriculture, and any prolonged interruption in rainfall directly threatens their livelihoods. If the current weather pattern persists, he said, some farmers may be forced to reduce the size of their farms or abandon cultivation altogether.
The farmers noted that erratic rainfall has become increasingly common in recent years, making it difficult to determine the appropriate planting period. They fear that reduced harvests will not only threaten household food security but also cut incomes needed to pay for education, healthcare and other essential needs.
The Upper East Regional Focal Person and National Secretary of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), Ibrahim Jambeidu, described the current rainfall pattern as deeply worrying, particularly for farmers in the Nabdam and Talensi districts.
He warned that if rainfall does not become more consistent in the coming weeks, thousands of farmers could lose substantial investments made in seeds, fertilisers, tractor services and labour.
"Many farmers are yet to sow at this stage of the farming season and even those who have sown are unable to apply fertiliser," he said.
Mr Jambeidu called for increased government investment in small-scale irrigation schemes and other climate-resilient agricultural interventions to reduce farmers' dependence on rainfall.
The Upper East Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture, Alhaji Zakaria Fuseini, also expressed concern over the erratic rainfall pattern, noting that agriculture in the region remains heavily dependent on rainfall, with between 80 and 90 per cent of the population, representing more than 900,000 people, engaged in farming.
He explained that although the total annual rainfall may not have reduced significantly, its distribution has become increasingly unpredictable, making farming more difficult.
Alhaji Fuseini advised farmers to pay close attention to weather forecasts issued by the Ghana Meteorological Agency and to maintain regular contact with agricultural extension officers for guidance.
He also encouraged farmers to adopt drought-tolerant crop varieties and climate-smart agricultural practices to minimise the impact of changing weather conditions.
A visit to several farming communities in the Nabdam District showed some farmers still preparing their fields in anticipation of rainfall, while others attempted to weed their farms as clouds of dust rose from the dry soil, highlighting the severity of the prolonged dry spell.