IRCC Project and GMet Strengthen Collaboration to Operationalise Early Warning Systems in Coastal Communities
The Improved Resilience of Coastal Communities (IRCC) Project, funded by the Adaptation Fund, is strengthening collaboration with the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) to support the operationalisation of Early Warning Systems (EWS) across 11 vulnerable coastal communities in Anloga and Ada.
The collaboration forms part of efforts to strengthen community resilience to climate change and ensure that vulnerable coastal populations have access to timely, accurate and actionable climate information to help them anticipate and respond to climate-related hazards.
A strategic engagement held at the GMet Head Office in Accra brought together the ActionAid Ghana IRCC Project team, representing consortium partners UN-Habitat, Habitat for Humanity Africa and the University of Twente, and senior management and technical representatives of GMet.
The ActionAid Ghana team was led by the Justin Bayor Esq, Head of Programmes, Campaigns and Innovation and Zakaria Issah, the Fundraising Manager. They engaged the Director-General of GMet, Dr. Eric Asuman, Deputy Director-General, Dr. Ignatius Kweku Williams, and members of the Agency’s technical team.
Engaging the team, Justin Bayor Esq, reiterated IRCC position on climate induced impact on coastal communities, explaining the need for institutional collaborations to support affected communities. He stressed that;
“For us, operationalising Early Warning Systems is not simply about installing systems; it is about ensuring that communities have access to timely, accurate and actionable climate information that enables them to make informed decisions and act before hazards become disasters. Our collaboration with GMet is therefore critical to strengthening institutional coordination, community preparedness and the long-term sustainability of these systems. Ultimately, we want to see early warnings translated into early action and stronger, community-led resilience across Ghana’s vulnerable coastal communities.”
— Justin Bayor, Head of Programmes, Campaigns and Innovation, ActionAid Ghana
Strengthening institutional collaboration
The engagement focused on opportunities for technical collaboration and support towards the effective operationalisation of Early Warning Systems in the IRCC target communities.
Discussions also highlighted the importance of institutional ownership, coordination and long-term sustainability to ensure that EWS interventions continue to serve communities beyond the implementation period of the project.
GMet reaffirmed its commitment to providing technical support to strengthen the effectiveness and sustainability of the systems. This support is expected to contribute to ensuring that climate and weather information reaches communities in a form that is timely, reliable and accessible.
For coastal communities increasingly exposed to hazards such as flooding, coastal erosion and other climate-related risks, access to early warning information can make a critical difference in enabling households and local institutions to prepare and take preventive action.
Turning early warnings into early action
The collaboration between the IRCC Project and GMet is strengthening the link between climate information, institutional systems and community action.
Through strengthened Early Warning Systems, communities are expected to be better positioned to understand emerging climate risks, make informed decisions and undertake appropriate early actions to protect lives, livelihoods and assets.
The partnership reflects the IRCC Project’s broader commitment to advancing community-led climate resilience and locally relevant adaptation solutions for vulnerable coastal populations.
As climate change continues to intensify risks facing Ghana’s coastal communities, strengthening systems that enable people to anticipate and respond to hazards is essential to building resilient communities.
Together, the IRCC Project and GMet are working to turn early warnings into early action and strengthen community-led resilience to climate change along Ghana’s coast.
The Improved Resilience of Coastal Communities (IRCC) Project, funded by the Adaptation Fund, is being implemented to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities to the impacts of climate change through adaptation interventions, nature-based solutions, improved climate information and strengthened community and institutional capacities.
Written by Jacqueline Pardikie Parditey
