Centre for Climate Change and Food Security Trains Farmers, Students and Journalists on Climate Change
The Centre for Climate Change and Food Security (CCCFS), a Ghana-based non-governmental organisation, has intensified its efforts to combat the challenges of climate change by training farmers, students, and journalists across Ghana and West Africa on sustainable solutions.
Founded in October 2015, the Centre was established to address the growing threats of climate change, food insecurity, and environmental degradation. Despite never receiving donor grants or foreign funding, the organisation has consistently implemented impactful programmes powered solely by the passion, expertise, and sacrifice of its dedicated members.
In Ghana, the Centre has worked closely with farmers to improve agricultural practices and adapt to changing rainfall patterns. Religious leaders have been trained to interpret weather forecasts from the Ghana Meteorological Agency so that they can better guide their congregations, especially rural farmers, on when to plant and how to prepare for natural disasters. The organisation has also engaged farmers on safe agrochemical use, tree planting to restore degraded lands, and sustainable cocoa production practices to secure livelihoods for future generations.
Beyond farmers, the Centre has reached thousands of students across senior high schools and universities, including the Anglican Senior High School, Al-Azhariya Islamic Senior High School, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University for Development Studies (UDS), and Christian Service University. These engagements have empowered young people to become climate ambassadors, fostering awareness about environmental stewardship, waste reduction, and food security. The Centre has also provided internship opportunities for students from institutions such as KNUST and the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), allowing them to conduct research and collect vital climate data.
In recent years, the Centre for Climate Change and Food Security has expanded its influence beyond Ghana’s borders. Partnering with Nigeria’s The North Journal, it launched a six-week online training programme in July 2025 for over 30 West African journalists on biodiversity and ecosystem reporting. Participants were selected from Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Benin after a competitive application process that attracted more than 100 applicants.
The training, themed “Biodiversity Matters: How Africa’s Stories Can Shape a Sustainable Future”, introduced journalists to biodiversity basics, data-driven storytelling, investigative tools, and solutions journalism. The course featured international experts such as Dr. Vibha Varshney and Rajit Sengupta from India’s Down To Earth magazine, with additional support from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which provided its experts free of charge.
Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive. Nigerian journalist Zainab Adam described the training as life-changing, while Sierra Leonean student journalist Sheku Desmond said the lessons had equipped him with new skills he was eager to put into practice. Beninese science journalist Sounouvo L. Bijou praised the networking opportunities but recommended French translations in future sessions to make the programme more inclusive.
The training is set to culminate in the launch of the West Africa Journalists for Environment, Science, Health & Agriculture (WAJESHA) network on August 15, 2025. This initiative, spearheaded by the Centre for Climate Change and Food Security, aims to unite journalists across the subregion to improve media coverage of climate change, biodiversity, agriculture, and health.
Speaking about the organisation’s work, Executive Director Engr Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen stressed the importance of resilience and honesty. He recalled how the Centre lost out on an international grant in 2025 after admitting that it had never received foreign funding before. “Our honesty cost us, but it also defines us,” he said. “We may lack money, but we have integrity and commitment. And that keeps us going.”
Director of Research, Issifu Sulemana, added that the Centre’s studies in mining communities revealed disturbing levels of mercury in crops, highlighting the hidden dangers of illegal mining (galamsey). “Food safety is a climate and health issue. If we ignore it, we are endangering lives,” he warned.
Through its activities, the Centre for Climate Change and Food Security continues to demonstrate that meaningful impact does not always require foreign aid. Its dedication to training farmers, empowering students, and mentoring journalists is helping shape a new wave of climate consciousness across Ghana and West Africa.
“We are not giving up,” said Mohammed-Nurudeen. “Funding or no funding, the work must go on. Our farmers, students, and journalists deserve the knowledge and tools to fight climate change, and that is what we will keep providing.”
