When the Rain Doesn’t Come: Small Farmers Battle Climate Change

By Adoma

Garu, Upper East Ghana — On a cracked field just outside town, 52-year-old Alhassan Naaba kneels beside wilted maize stalks and dusty groundnut vines. The rains, which usually begin in May, have barely come. His hopes for this year’s harvest — and his family’s survival — hang in the balance.

“Last year, we harvested four bags,” he says, pointing to a dry stretch of earth. “This year, we may not get even one.”

Across Ghana’s northern regions and parts of the savannah belt, climate change is hitting smallholder farmers hard. Rainfall is becoming less predictable, droughts are longer, and when the rain finally comes, it often arrives in violent, crop-destroying storms. The people who grow the nation’s food are finding themselves more vulnerable than ever.

Agriculture in a Changing Climate

Ghana’s agriculture sector supports about 45% of the population, most of them small-scale farmers working plots of land with rudimentary tools.

Historically, these farmers have relied on predictable rainfall patterns. But now, climate change is rewriting the calendar — and threatening food security.

According to the Ghana Meteorological Agency:

Average rainfall in the north has declined by up to 20% over the last 30 years
The growing season has shortened by several weeks
Extreme weather events such as floods and heatwaves are increasing in frequency

“What we’re seeing is no longer just variability — it’s a new climate reality,” says Dr. Mercy Boateng, an agronomist with the University for Development Studies.

Real Lives, Real Struggles

Amina Zakaria, a 33-year-old mother of five in Bawku, used to plant groundnuts and sorghum on her two-acre farm. But this year, she left half the land fallow.

“The seeds are too expensive to waste,” she says. “If the rain doesn’t come, everything dies.”

Her neighbor, Seidu, recently borrowed ₵1,000 to buy fertilizer and improved seeds. “I believed this year would be better,” he says. “But now the river is dry, and the sun is too strong.”

Many farmers now supplement their income with charcoal burning, casual labor, or migrate to the south during the dry season.

The Impact on Food and Prices

Crop failure doesn’t just affect rural communities — it ripples through the entire economy:

Maize and yam prices have nearly doubled in the past year due to low yields
Ghana has become more dependent on food imports, particularly rice and wheat
Malnutrition is rising in some districts as protein-rich crops like beans decline

“When the farmer suffers, we all suffer,” says Professor Bright Osei of the Ghana Agricultural Economics Association.

Coping Without Tools

While some larger farms in the south have begun using irrigation, weather apps, and hybrid seeds, most smallholder farmers still rely on manual labor, traditional seeds, and radio weather reports — which are often unreliable.

“We tell them to plant early,” says an extension officer in Sissala East. “But when the rains shift, it ruins everything.”

A Call for Government Action

Though Ghana has adopted climate adaptation plans, critics say support for rural farmers remains weak.

“The big policies sound good,” says development advocate Patience Nsoh. “But in the villages, we see little change.”

Key needs include:

Investment in small-scale irrigation
Access to affordable drought-resistant seeds
Early warning systems tailored to local dialects
Training in climate-smart practices
Microinsurance schemes for weather-related losses

Some of these initiatives have begun in pilot projects — but coverage remains limited.

Hope from Innovation

In the Upper East, a local NGO called GreenYield is introducing Zai pits — a traditional water-harvesting method from Burkina Faso that improves moisture retention. Farmers dig small holes and fill them with compost and seeds, allowing crops to survive even with minimal rain.

“It’s labor-intensive,” says Amina, who now uses the method. “But it works.”

Mobile apps like Esoko and FarmSense are also helping farmers access weather updates, market prices, and advice via SMS.

“It’s not magic,” says Dr. Boateng. “But every tool helps when you’re fighting the climate.”

Generational Concerns

Many young people in farming communities are leaving agriculture altogether.

“My son wants to be a driver in Accra,” says Alhassan. “He says farming is too risky now. And I don’t blame him.”

Without meaningful support, Ghana risks losing not just crops — but an entire generation of food producers.

Final Thought

For smallholder farmers like Alhassan and Amina, climate change isn’t a future threat — it’s a daily reality. The rain doesn’t come when it should. The soil grows more stubborn. And every planting season feels like a gamble.

Yet amidst the drought and dust, hope still grows — in pits, in seeds, and in the resilience of those who refuse to give up.

“We keep planting,” says Amina. “Because hunger is worse than failure.”