In a bid to address the challenges of food security, CGIAR, a global partnership that unites international organizations engaged in research and development has delivered smart climate solutions to improve agricultural productivity despite climate challenges in Africa and in extension, the world in general.
CGIAR’s Ghana Convener and International Water Management Institute(IWMI) Regional Representative For West Africa, Dr. Olufunke Cofie while speaking in a recent interview stated that CGIAR has supported the government with smart innovations to help farmers improve their productivity despite climate issues while still contributing to local economy.
Cofie explained that CGIAR having worked with over 70 countries globally has provided smart and innovative-driven technologies to address the challenges of food security through research on agricultural products to deliver a food secured world.
“We have worked with international water institute to combat water challenges, to ensure that during the dry season, what kind of irrigation practices would be the best. We do this by applying research development with national stakeholders.
‘The innovative solution we develop are applicable with rural and urban areas going into the local governments and farmers association depending on the location, our innovation are globally oriented.”.
“We know that food production is done by the rural farmers, our mission is to find transformation in the food climate crisis, our innovations are responsive to climate change issues, drought, heat and tolerant variety things.”
Cofie maintained that CGIAR partner with government agencies to ensure policies that allows climate smart agriculture to thrive.
She stated that Africa is blessed with water resources but some part lack access to it, hence the deployment of smart agriculture solution, adding that it is our response mechanism that we need to work on, with the political will, commitment at different levels of all stakeholders, to develop our water resources very well with appropriate planning to be able to harness the water resources well.
