Urban agriculture as a strategy for building climate resilience: evidence from Accra, Ghana

Event details

Join our YESI International Fellows Seminar with Professor Philip Antwi-Agyei, Professor of Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainability Science, and the Director of the Office of Grants and Research at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.

Abstract/Synopsis

Increasing temperatures and erratic rainfall patterns continue to compromise the livelihoods of many city and rural dwellers in Ghana. Climate change adaptation therefore remains a major priority for city and rural authorities in Ghana. Yet, it remains unknown how urban agriculture could contribute to climate resilience for urban growers in Accra, Ghana.

Employing qualitative approaches including policy analysis, stakeholders’ interviews, and field observations, this talk seeks to shed light on the potential of urban agriculture in building climate resilience in Accra, Ghana. Specifically, the talk will establish the links between urban agriculture and climate resilience. This talk will show the extent to which urban agriculture has been prioritised in climate change and agriculture related policies in Ghana. It will demonstrate how agricultural practices can contribute to reducing the exposure and sensitivity of urban communities to climate shocks and stresses.

Further, the talk will highlight the challenges confronting policymakers in integrating and incorporating urban agriculture into national policies. It will also shed light on the challenges that urban growers face in Accra, including land availability and security, inadequate labour, lack of coherent policy on urban agriculture, amongst others.

The talk concludes by proposing recommendations including land reforms to address critical land tenure issues, governmental support, policy guideline for urban agriculture, etc., aimed at making urban agriculture viable and resilient in the face of climate change and using urban agriculture to address climate challenges.

Bio

Prof. Philip Antwi-Agyei is a Professor of Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainability Science, and the Director of the Office of Grants and Research at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. Philip is a former Commonwealth Scholar, who obtained his PhD from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom in 2013. He is an interdisciplinary climate change scientist whose research involves developing innovative multi-scale methodologies for assessing vulnerability and adaptations to climate change across the local, regional and national scales. Specifically, his research uses spatial databases, ecological studies and field-based participatory approaches aimed at broadening understanding of how climate change and variability affect food security and livelihoods.

Prof. Antwi-Agyei was a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 oC, and a Contributing Author on the Sixth Assessment Report of the IPCC. He has consulted for leading international organisations including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP, Accra), the International Institute for Sustainable Development, Canada, and Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency, to mention but a few. Philip developed the National Adaptation Plan Framework for Ghana and the National Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan for the Infrastructure Sector (Water, Energy, and Transport Sectors). Prof. Antwi-Agyei was the Consultant for the adaptation component of Ghana’s Updated Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Climate Agreement. 

Prof. Antwi-Agyei is a recipient of several prestigious international grants including the International Foundation for Science (2010–2013), Climate Impacts Research Capacity and Leadership Enhancement Fellowship (2015–2016) funded by the UK's Department for International Development, Innovation Grant from the London School of Economics and University of Leeds, United Kingdom (2016–2018), and Science for Weather Information and Forecasting Techniques (2016–2021) funded by the Global Challenge Research Fund. He has also won grants under the Climate Research for Development (2019–2021), an initiative of the African Climate Policy Centre in partnership with the United Kingdom's Department for International Development. Philip was a Fellow under the Future Leaders–Africa Independent Research (FLAIR) (2020–2022) and Collaboration Grants (2021–2022) funded by the Royal Society, London.

He has published extensively in reputable international peer reviewed journals on climate change issues and presented his research outputs in several international conferences and workshops. Philip serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Climate and Development (published by Taylor and Francis). He also serves on the Editorial Board of Journal of Environmental Policy and Governance and is a regular reviewer for several leading high impact factor journals on climate change related matters.

Twitter: @pantwiagyei