Sunyani: Dr Bismark Ofosu-Bamfo, a Tropical Forest Ecologist at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), has emphasised that realistic data on phenology offers a promising pathway for enhancing the accuracy of crop calendars in Ghana. Phenology is the scientific study of the timing of recurring biological events-such as flowering, fruiting, leafing, and migration-and how these are influenced by seasonal and climatic changes.
According to Ghana News Agency, speaking at the sidelines of the Ecological Forecasting Research Dissemination workshop at UENR's main campus in Sunyani, Dr Ofosu-Bamfo stated that integrating phenological observations with climate information will greatly help reduce agricultural losses by improving calendar accuracy. He explained that phenology examines the life cycle events of plants and their interactions with animals, all of which affect food availability, medicinal access, and biomass production for local communities.
The research, as noted by Dr Ofosu-Bamfo, involved monitoring 1,700 individual plants from 186 species to track seasonal changes such as flowering, fruiting, and leaf production. The data was compiled through field monitoring, community interviews, and supplementary sources. He mentioned that the phenology dataset showcased at the workshop enables correlations between biological patterns and environmental trends, allowing predictions for when plants produce essential resources. This information can help farmers adapt to climate shifts and avoid crop failures.
Dr Ofosu-Bamfo called for long-term monitoring partnerships with institutions like UENR to ensure sustained ecological insights, emphasizing that climate phenomena unfold gradually and consistent tracking allows for anticipation of shifts and guidance for timely interventions. Professor Raul Zurita-Milla of the University of Twente, Netherlands, also spoke at the event, stressing the importance of wide stakeholder engagement. He noted that dissemination is as valuable as data collection, and people must understand how vegetation patterns are changing and how these changes know no borders.
Prof Zurita-Milla highlighted ongoing collaborative efforts combining biological fieldwork, remote sensing, and climate modelling to help farmers adjust to shifts in growing seasons and crop yields. He warned that tree mortality and species displacement, driven by climate instability, require urgent attention from policymakers to ensure science-based community action.
Earlier, Professor Elvis Asare-Bediako, Vice Chancellor of UENR, described the research as a fusion of scientific rigor and indigenous wisdom, a symphony of remote sensing, citizen science, climate data, and ancestral knowledge harmonized to guide ecological decisions.
