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Ghana momentarily halts grain exports as lack of rain hits crops

Ghana on Monday briefly banned the export of grains consisting of maize, rice and soybean to guarantee domestic supply as the West African country comes to grips with neardrought conditions that have actually interrupted crop production, the farming ministry stated on Monday.

Rainfall in north Ghana has actually been irregular over the past 2 months and low compared to in 2015.

The dry weather condition has impeded crop production worldwide's. 2nd cocoa producer after Ivory Coast. Around 1.8 million. hectares (4.45 million acres) of land are at threat, with farmers. growing food on around half that area already affected. Maize,. rice, groundnut, soybean, sorghum, millet and yam are the worst. hit.

The affected areas account for around 62% of Ghana's. yearly grain supply, raising concern about a nationwide food. shortage, the ministry stated in a presentation.

The export restriction was executed with instant impact and. will stay in location up until the situation normalises.

The ministry said it would plug the lack with the grain. reserves of West Africa's political and financial bloc ECOWAS,. grain imports and private sector collaborations.

It also listed a series of interventions to support. vulnerable farmers.

Finance Minister Mohammed Amin Adam stated on X that the. federal government strategies to raise $500 million to fund its food security. interventions.

Africa is warming up at a faster rate than the remainder of the. planet and withstanding more serious climate and weather condition catastrophes. such as dry spells, according to the United Nations and the. African Union.

Federal governments on the continent-- many of which, like Ghana,. are fighting with debt-- are making every effort to secure a much bigger. share of global environment funding this year to help handle. the increased risks from climate change. ]

(source: Reuters)