The Project Coordinator for Ghana Agriculture & Rural Development Journalist Association (GARDJA), Nana Yaw Reuben has suggested that, until Ghanaians learn how to use their own innovations, eat made in Ghana food, wear made in Ghana clothes, they would continue to glorify the global south added that, most climate studies cannot be used by the smallholder farmers since it is difficult for them to apply.
“Farmers are not using the climate research, knowledge and innovations our scientist are churning out both local and international, but in our minds we think much progress is happening, how are we going to help farmers use climate research actions?”.
He made this known during the launch of maiden Biennial Media Forum on Natural Resources, Environment, Climate Change and Science held in Accra on the theme, “Strengthening media focus on natural resources, environment, climate change and science: challenges, prospects and the way forward”.
Climate change he mentioned, is seriously impacting on the current generation and would also certainly impact on the future generations even though, efforts are being made to address it.
“This global issue has the potential to take away everything we take for granted in this day and age. Our stable homes are been flooded over. Our water bodies are drying out. Our crops are not growing well because of the increased heat. Our oxygen is limited as a result of deforestation. Our air is dirty due to pollution; and most importantly, our future family will have harder and shorter lives. Sad indeed!!”.
He averred that, there is the need to take immediate actions by resourcing the media to investigate, talk and discuss about the challenges, prospects and the way forward in the daily programmes to help change minds sets of people.
“There is the need for reporters and writers to understand the rudiments and dynamics of environmental and climate issues, do we or they really understand?”.
Most of the smallholder farmers according to Nana Yaw Reuben, are not compensated for environmental services they render saying, most times African governments receive incentives to support some of the initiatives but does not reach the rural and vulnerable population groups yet, nobody holds them accountable.
