Research and capacity-building are extremely critical in boosting Africa’s climate resilience, Deputy Director-West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) Professor Kehinde Ogunjobi has observed.
Consequently, Professor Ogunjobi stressed the need for countries in the sub-region to fund research and empower citizens to better address climate challenges.
He noted that WASCAL has a capacity-building institution in the Gambia where they embark on climate change education. “Citizens must take possession of the environment – we cannot continue to pollute, degrade forests or mismanage water resources.”
To this end, he urged governments to introduce stricter environmental regulations to address these issues, urging citizens to be proactive in maintaining ecosystems; adding that “Our actions today will shape the environment we leave for future generations. It is crucial that we protect and sustain it”.
According to Prof. Ogunjobi, research has been central to identifying solutions tailored to Africa’s unique challenges. He emphasised that the Africa region is severely affected by extreme climate conditions, making it essential to develop early warning measures to protect livelihoods.
“African problems require African solutions. It is essential that governments across the region commit to funding research and enhancing capacity. Citizens must also play their part by adopting better environmental practices,” he added.
WASCAL Executive Director Professor Emmanuel Ramde also emphasised the need for sustained investment in climate research and appealed for WASCAL member-countries to remain committed to the mission.
Meanwhile, the Soil Research Institute-Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-SRI) under its first fertility mapping project for the entire country discovered that a large proportion of lands in Ashanti Region are reported as becoming more acidic.
The unhealthy nature of soils has been attributed to excessive application of inorganic fertiliser and poor farming practices. Unhealthy and dwindling harvests have prompted farmers’ overreliance on pesticides and other inorganic fertiliser applications to improve yields.
The situation reflects that of many farmers across the country who overly depend on the sole application of inorganic fertilisers to increase yields. Excessive fertiliser application have been found to destroy the natural soil integrity and profile.
