The Centre for Climate Change and Food Security (CCCFS), a Ghana-based non-governmental organisation, has become a shining example of resilience and dedication in the fight against climate change and food insecurity—despite operating without donor grants or foreign funding since its establishment in October 2015.
Founded to respond to the growing climate crisis, environmental degradation, and threats to food security, the organisation has built a reputation for grassroots impact across Ghana and beyond. With limited resources but boundless passion, CCCFS continues to train farmers, students, and journalists to become frontline advocates for sustainable solutions.
In Ghana, the organisation has implemented practical interventions for farmers, teaching them how to adapt to erratic rainfall patterns, conserve soil, and practice sustainable agriculture. Farmers have also been trained on safe agrochemical use, tree planting to restore degraded lands, and methods to boost cocoa production in ways that protect both the environment and livelihoods. Uniquely, the Centre collaborates with religious leaders by equipping them with knowledge from the Ghana Meteorological Agency so they can guide rural congregations on weather patterns and farming practices.
Students across the country have equally benefited. CCCFS has carried its climate education campaigns to 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 sessions have inspired thousands of young people to become climate ambassadors in their communities. The Centre also offers internship opportunities for students from institutions such as KNUST and the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), helping them build skills in climate research and data collection.
Beyond Ghana, CCCFS has extended its influence across West Africa. In July 2025, it partnered with The North Journal in Nigeria to launch a six-week online training programme for over 30 West African journalists on biodiversity and ecosystem reporting. The programme attracted over 100 applicants, with selected participants coming from Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Benin.
Themed “Biodiversity Matters: How Africa’s Stories Can Shape a Sustainable Future”, the course exposed journalists to biodiversity basics, solutions journalism, investigative reporting, and data-driven storytelling. Experts from India’s Down To Earth magazine, including Dr. Vibha Varshney and Rajit Sengupta, contributed to the programme with support from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which provided its experts free of charge.
Participants described the training as life-changing. Nigerian journalist Zainab Adam praised the course for sharpening her reporting skills, while Sierra Leonean student journalist Sheku Desmond said it equipped him with tools he was eager to apply. Beninese science journalist Sounouvo L. Bijou highlighted the value of networking and recommended future French translations for broader accessibility.
The programme is set to culminate in the official launch of the West Africa Journalists for Environment, Science, Health & Agriculture (WAJESHA) network on August 15, 2025. The network, initiated by CCCFS, will bring together media practitioners to amplify coverage of climate change, biodiversity, health, and agriculture across the subregion.
Despite its successes, CCCFS continues to face the harsh reality of operating without external funding. Executive Director Engr Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen recalled a recent experience where the Centre lost an international grant because it truthfully admitted that it had never received foreign funding before. “Our honesty cost us, but it also defines us,” he said. “We may lack grants and budgets, but our integrity and passion sustain us.”
Director of Research, Issifu Sulemana, stressed that climate action must be tied to food safety. He referenced the Centre’s field studies in mining communities that revealed mercury contamination in crops as a result of illegal mining (galamsey). “Climate change is not just about weather—it’s about the food we eat, our health, and our survival,” he noted.
The story of the Centre for Climate Change and Food Security demonstrates that transformative change is not always tied to money. With no grants and no budgets, the organisation continues to champion food security and climate action through education, advocacy, and integrity-driven leadership.
“We are committed to the cause,” said Mohammed-Nurudeen. “Funding or no funding, our farmers, students, and journalists deserve the knowledge and tools to fight climate change. And that is what we will always provide.”
