Ghana’s wetland communities face an increasingly uncertain future due to climate change, with rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, heavier storms, and flash flooding intensifying. The Addressing Climate Vulnerability through Nature-Based Solutions using Transdisciplinary Engagement of Wetland Communities (AV-STEC) project, an international climate research initiative, has found that these communities could face mounting threats to their livelihoods, food security, and economic stability. The project brings together the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research at the University of Ghana, Naturama in Burkina Faso, York University in Canada, and the Stockholm Environment Institute in the United States.
The AV-STEC project aims to strengthen climate resilience by connecting scientific research with local knowledge and helping communities develop practical, inclusive, and sustainable adaptation strategies. Climate projections examined by the project point to a future of increasing extreme heat, greater rainfall variability, heavier storm bursts, and flash flooding. Communities dependent on agriculture and natural resources could face multiple climate threats, sometimes within the same season. Farmers may struggle with prolonged dry conditions, only to see intense rainfall flood their fields and destroy crops.
The findings reinforce the need for climate planning that looks beyond individual disasters to address the interconnected risks affecting people, water systems, and agricultural livelihoods. Emergency assistance can provide essential support after floods, but the research highlights the limitations of relying primarily on relief after disasters have occurred. Instead, it points to Nature-Based Solutions, including catchment reforestation, green belts, and wetland restoration, as important approaches to strengthening long-term resilience.
Healthy wetlands and restored landscapes can help retain and manage water, support biodiversity, and reduce some of the impacts associated with flooding. These measures, alongside effective planning and early-warning systems, could help communities prepare for climate hazards rather than continually recover from them. The research therefore calls for a shift towards addressing the underlying causes of vulnerability, not simply managing the consequences.
The AV-STEC project is working with communities to co-design dry-season, solar-powered irrigated agro-ecological systems. These initiatives seek to reduce dependence on rainfall and create opportunities for agricultural production during drier periods. The emphasis on co-design is significant: communities are involved in developing solutions intended to respond to their actual needs, circumstances, and knowledge.
The findings also highlight the importance of gender-responsive climate policies. Men and women can experience climate-related hardship differently, depending on their economic opportunities, household responsibilities, and access to resources. The project emphasizes women's financial independence and the need to expand access to credit facilities, business training, and economic opportunities. 89% of local community members expressed willingness to participate in flood-mitigation and nature-based adaptation initiatives.
Climate resilience also requires cooperation between Ghana and Burkina Faso, as the water systems cross national boundaries. The project is supporting renewed dialogue on transboundary water management and early-warning cooperation following the collapse of the joint bilateral technical committee in 2011. Stronger coordination could help communities and institutions better understand shared water-related risks and improve preparedness as rainfall patterns become increasingly unpredictable.
Key points
- The AV-STEC project aims to strengthen climate resilience by connecting scientific research with local knowledge.
- Healthy wetlands and restored landscapes can help retain and manage water, support biodiversity, and reduce some of the impacts associated with flooding.
- Climate resilience requires cooperation between Ghana and Burkina Faso, as the water systems cross national boundaries.
