Accra (Greater Accra), 16 Feb. '99 -

Mr Ben C. Eghan, Chief Director of the Ministry of Communications, yesterday opened a three-day workshop at which experts on agrometeorology from all over the world would develop strategies to utilise the climate and weather to improve agricultural production. Under the theme "Agrometeorology in the 21st Century: Needs and Perspective," more than 100 participants from 62 countries will determine future research and application needs, state of the art technology, data collection and education in relation to agriculture, forestry, fisheries and livestock.

The workshop, which precedes the 12th Session of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Commission for Agrometeorology scheduled for February 18 to 26, is jointly organised by the government of Ghana and WMO and co- sponsored by 10 international organisations. Mr Eghan underscored the need to educate end-users of research findings,
particularly farmers, on how to use them to their advantage. He said Ghana decided to host the workshop in order to utilise the varied

expertise and knowledge to strengthen its policy and programmes on agriculture

which is the back-bone of the economy. "The government of Ghana in recognition of the central role of agriculture in the realisation of the aims of its medium-term development programme, otherwise known as Vision 2020, is attaching great importance to agricultural development. Therefore the recommendations of seminars and workshops such as the one you will be holding are taken seriously. "I therefore call upon you to take your deliberations seriously as the outcome of this workshop could form the basis for the development of appropriate policies which could impact positively on agricultural production and food security, especially in developing countries".

Mr Eghan said the expertise and knowledge of participants would also be used to transform the Meteorological Services Department into a client- oriented one and give it the recognition it requires. He expressed concern about the alarming rate of depletion of natural resources and the effect on agriculture and quoted a special report on the state of the world which warns that the world cannot sustain the economies in the next millennium, unless serious efforts are made to preserve the environment. The President of the Commission for Agricultural Meteorology, Professor Dr Kees Stigter, said the workshop will focus on how to deal better with the agrometeorological aspects of how to protect the environment of agricultural production against the many dangers of biological, physical and chemical deterioration. It would also look at "how to improve the environmental conditions from the point of view of agricultural production without contributing to such deterioration of its natural resource base in the long run".

Prof. Stigter said it would place emphasis on arid zones, semi arid tropics and sub-humid and humid zones of Africa and Asia. "We would speak about climate forecasting, about adaptation of strategies and, of course, about educating those who have to develop the advisories, those who have to be the intermediaries between the services and the users as well as the users themselves." The Commission for Agrometeorology is responsible for the application of meteorology to agricultural farming systems, forestry, livestock management and agricultural land use taking into consideration meteorology and agricultural development in both the scientific and practical fields. It also develops agricultural meteorology services of members by transfer of knowledge and methodology by providing advice on a wide range of issues.