National Climate Change Programme Specialist at Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Organization

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Position Details

• Location: Ghana
• Employment Type: Full-Time
• Category: Agricultural Jobs

Background and Context

Ghana's agricultural sector contributes approximately one-fifth of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs nearly half of the workforce. Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for approximately 70% of the population, particularly in coastal communities and poorer regions most vulnerable to climate impacts and risks such as coastal erosion, frequent flooding, and storm surges. These climate-related hazards cause population displacements and weaken ecosystem resilience and services.

Mangrove ecosystems are critically valuable globally and throughout Ghana's coastal landscape. They provide essential ecosystem services including:

• Carbon sequestration
• Protection from storms, floods, and erosion
• Provision of timber and non-timber forest products
• Processing of waste and nutrient pollution
• Support for aquaculture and agriculture
• Habitat for aquatic and terrestrial species

Despite their importance, forest and mangrove ecosystems are receding worldwide. In Ghana, deforestation is estimated at 315,000 hectares per year. Mangrove areas have suffered significant depletion over the last 30 years, declining from 18,100 hectares to 13,700 hectares—a loss of 24%. This mangrove loss and degradation reduces critical ecosystem services such as fish breeding and nursery grounds, erosion control, and deepens the vulnerability of marginalized coastal populations, particularly women and the elderly.

Programme Overview

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Ghana's Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) have entered into a Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) to mobilize climate finance from the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The programme aims to restore degraded mangrove landscapes and build the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities to climate impacts and risks in Ghana.