Dr Seidu Jasaw urges climate financiers to align funding with farmers’ planting seasons

Dr Godfred Seidu Jasaw, the Wa East MP and Chairman of Parliament’s Food and Agriculture Committee, has called on climate finance institutions to align their funding schedules with agricultural planting seasons. He warns that funding delays can jeopardize farmers' entire production cycles and income streams. Jasaw argues that the true effectiveness of climate finance should be evaluated not just by processing speed, but by whether resources reach projects and communities precisely when needed.

During a recent discussion on climate finance, he challenged the concept of "rapid finance," arguing that even seemingly reasonable delays can severely impact farmers with limited planting windows. He visited a farmer services center under construction in Afram Plains, emphasizing the need for timely funding to ensure the facility opens as scheduled.

Jasaw also raised concerns about the financing model for the Pwalugu irrigation project, arguing that long-term infrastructure should not be reliant on uncertain annual capital releases. He urged Parliament to scrutinize financing arrangements for affordability, sustainability, and long-term viability. Jasaw called for the Climate Vulnerable Forum-V20 to collaborate with parliamentary committees during the development of financing proposals, offering customized options for specific national investments.

He stressed that Parliament can remove legal and budgetary obstacles, enhance implementation, and maintain commitments beyond individual ministries or election cycles. For farmers and rural communities, he stressed, the critical factor is whether funding arrives on time, infrastructure functions post-construction, and investments generate tangible economic benefits.