By Nneka Nwogwugwu
A Non-Governmental Organisation, ActionAid Ghana, has called on government to establish a national fund for effective preparedness and response to climate related disasters.
ActionAid noted that Ghana should lead the crusade in rallying other African countries to make a joint and strong call for the establishment of a dedicated international climate fund to respond to loss and damage caused by perennial climate events in developing countries.
It said Ghana should use its strategic position as President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who serves as the chairman of ECOWAS as well as Co-Chair of the Eminent Group of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Advocates, to push for the establishment of the fund.
The ActionAid made the call through the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) in a statement signed by Mr John Nkaw, Interim Country Director of ActionAid Ghana and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Tema to commemorate this year’s International Day of Rural Women.
The NGO further appealed to the two Ministries to promote women friendly national climate adaptation plans and incorporate climate change issues into their budgets to ensure funding streams were created for projects targeted at improving smallholder farmer’s awareness and adoption to climate change.
ActionAid said the dedicated international fund should also support vulnerable countries’ resilience building initiatives to reduce vulnerability to climatic events.
The International Day of Rural Women presents an opportunity for Ghanaians and the international community to reflect on the contribution of rural women in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating poverty globally.
The theme for this year, “Rural Women Cultivating Good Food for All”, puts the spotlight on the essential role these rural women and girls play in the food system – from production, to processing, consumption, and distribution of food.
The statement added that the degree at which people were affected by the impact of climate change was partly a function of their social status, gender, poverty, power and access to control over resources.