Ghana

Ghana is a West African country located along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered by Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to the east. Covering an area of about 238,500 square kilometers, Ghana features a diverse physical landscape that includes coastal plains, forested hills, savanna regions, and river basins. The Volta River system is the most important hydrological feature in the country, supporting agriculture, hydropower (notably the Akosombo Dam), and freshwater ecosystems. Ghana’s climate is tropical, with a wet season and a dry season influenced by the West African monsoon and the Harmattan winds from the Sahara. Rainfall is highest in the southwestern forest zone and decreases toward the northern savanna regions, shaping vegetation and land use patterns.

Agriculture is a key sector of Ghana’s economy and employs a significant portion of the population, particularly in rural areas. The country’s agricultural system is strongly shaped by its ecological zones. In the southern forest regions, farmers cultivate cocoa, oil palm, rubber, plantain, cassava, and cocoyam. Cocoa is Ghana’s most important export crop and one of the country’s leading sources of foreign exchange. In the middle belt and northern savanna zones, staple crops such as maize, millet, sorghum, rice, and groundnuts dominate. Livestock production, including cattle, goats, sheep, and poultry, is especially important in the north, where pastoral and agro-pastoral systems are common. Despite its importance, agriculture in Ghana is still largely rain-fed and faces challenges such as climate variability, soil degradation, limited mechanization, and post-harvest losses.

Forestry resources in Ghana are concentrated in the southern forest belt, which is part of the Upper Guinean rainforest ecosystem. These forests are rich in biodiversity and provide valuable timber species such as mahogany, wawa (triplochiton), odum (iroko), and sapele. Forests also supply non-timber products including medicinal plants, bushmeat, fruits, and fuelwood, which are essential for rural livelihoods. Mangrove ecosystems are found along the coast and estuaries, supporting fisheries and protecting shorelines from erosion. However, Ghana’s forests have experienced significant decline due to logging, agricultural expansion (especially cocoa farming), mining activities (notably illegal small-scale gold mining, or “galamsey”), and population pressure. In response, the government has introduced reforestation programs, forest reserves, and community-based forest management initiatives aimed at restoring degraded areas and improving sustainability.

The fishery sector in Ghana is an important contributor to food security, employment, and coastal livelihoods. The country has a coastline of about 550 kilometers along the Atlantic Ocean and also benefits from inland water bodies such as Lake Volta, one of the largest artificial lakes in the world. Fisheries are divided into marine, inland, and aquaculture systems. Marine fisheries are the most significant and include species such as sardinella, tuna, mackerel, and anchovy. Lake Volta supports a large inland fishery, providing tilapia, catfish, and other freshwater species. Artisanal fishing is the dominant form of production and employs many coastal communities, while industrial fleets operate mainly in tuna fishing. Aquaculture has been growing steadily as a response to declining wild fish stocks. However, the sector faces challenges including overfishing, illegal fishing practices, pollution, and climate change impacts on marine ecosystems. Fisheries management policies and monitoring systems are being strengthened to promote sustainability.

Overall, Ghana’s geography—ranging from coastal zones to forest and savanna regions—creates a strong foundation for diverse agricultural production, forestry resources, and fisheries. These sectors remain central to economic development and rural livelihoods. However, environmental pressures, resource depletion, and climate change highlight the need for sustainable management practices to ensure long-term productivity and ecological stability.

In December 2011 Gerold was in Ghana for 7 days, at a conference of UNU-INRA (lecture) and in the ministry with giz people and some from the organic scene because of Agri Benchmark Organic. The city is very noisy, narrow, humid, full of cars, people and dirt. It's no fun taking a walk. Made a day excursion to an organic banana plantation (140 ha), that was much better. I drove a lot with the taxi across the city, so that I came to the different stations. Such a trip always takes 1 hour.