Dr. Bismark Ofosu-Bamfo, a tropical forest ecologist at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), has emphasized the need for realistic phenological data to improve crop calendar accuracy and help Ghanaian farmers adapt to climate variability.
Phenology is the study of seasonal biological events such as flowering, fruiting, and leafing, it plays a critical role in tracking how climate and environmental changes affect plant life cycles.
Dr. Ofosu-Bamfo made these remarks on the sidelines of the Ecological Forecasting Research Dissemination Workshop.
He said, integrating phenological observations with climate information will greatly help reduce agricultural losses by improving calendar accuracy.
He explained that his team monitored 1,700 individual plants from 186 species to document seasonal changes.
The was data gathered through fieldwork, community interviews, and supplementary sources that helped track flowering, fruiting, and other life-cycle events, enabling better predictions of when key plant resources become available.
“This kind of data helps us understand how ecosystems function under shifting climate conditions, it can also help farmers avoid crop failures and adjust to changes in the agricultural season,” Dr. Ofosu-Bamfo said.
He called for long-term data partnerships with institutions such as UENR to ensure sustained ecological monitoring and forecasting.
“Climate impacts unfold gradually, and without consistent tracking, we lose our ability to anticipate changes and design timely interventions,” he added.
Professor Raul Zurita-Milla of the University of Twente in the Netherlands, a guest speaker at the workshop, underscored the need for inclusive stakeholder engagement.
“Data collection is just the beginning. Dissemination matters. People must understand how vegetation patterns are changing and how those changes transcend national borders,” he said.
Prof. Zurita-Milla added that a combination of biological fieldwork, remote sensing technologies, and climate modelling is providing farmers with tools to navigate shifting seasons and yields.
He warned that tree mortality and species displacement linked to climate instability require urgent policy attention.
The dissemination workshop highlighted the importance of real-time ecological data in addressing food security, biodiversity loss, and community resilience amid growing climate uncertainties.
