Scientists move to develop local climate-smart system to monitor rainfall patterns, crop water use
A research collaboration involving scientists from Ghana and international institutions is building and installing open-source geophysical technology to help farmers and policymakers better appreciate how water moves through agricultural soils and ways farming practices can be adapted to a changing climate. The Geophysics for Climate-Smart Agriculture in Africa Project, running for two years, is…
Scientists are collaborating to create a climate-smart monitoring system for rainfall patterns and crop water use in Ghana. The Geophysics for Climate-Smart Agriculture in Africa Project, lasting two years, unites geophysics, soil science, and agronomy experts to study soil-water dynamics, agricultural practices, crop productivity, and climate resilience.
Central to the project, the West Africa Geophysics Lab at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is constructing low-cost Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) monitoring systems. These systems will continuously monitor changes in soil-water conditions due to rainfall, crop water use, and farming practices.
The initiative will develop local expertise in geophysical instrumentation, monitoring, and data processing, fostering early-career researcher involvement. Project leaders emphasize the importance of local equipment development to address the high costs of importing specialized instruments and the limited maintenance capacity in African research.
The collaboration aims to advance agricultural research by integrating geophysics and crop science, providing insights into optimizing crop residues and soil-management practices for sustainable yields. The project also seeks to support wider adoption through demonstration fields, farmer training, and capacity building.
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