Overview
METHANE remains one of the most potent contributors to global warming and climate change. It’s a short-lived gas, but, has a huge warming effect while it exists in the atmosphere, experts have established.
Despite its growing levels and far-reaching consequences, methane remains largely absent from national climate discussions, the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), has noted.
Methane, a greenhouse gas, is more than 80 times stronger than carbon dioxide (CO2), meaning “methane can trap more heat and has more warming potentials,” Douglas Asuako-Ferkah, an environment expert explains.
What is critical is that, agriculture contributes about 54 per cent of the methane emissions in Ghana, followed by energy sector, 36 per cent; waste, 10 per cent; and others, five per cent.
This situation has heightened calls for increased methane conversation among government, experts and civil society, and also harness the huge opportunities it presents.
Renewed impetus in the methane conversation
Happily, Friends of the Nation (FoN) with supports of ACEP and Oxfam, have begun a learning event in Takoradi on methane management in Ghana on the theme: ‘Consolidating the gains from contributions of government, civil society and the private sector’.
Trends so far
Mr Asuako-Ferkah, also the Acting Area Manager, Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Ellembelle, Western Region, said Ghana’s Energy Transition framework hopes to achieve a net zero emission by 2070, cutting from the transport and power generation sectors, and inject renewables.
Discussions on the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), the National Adaptation Plan for Climate Change, the Methane Road Map Action Plan (M-RAP) and Emission Development Plan are also ongoing.
M-RAP envisages engagements with stakeholders to conduct policy scan draft, outline meeting objectives, create awareness with oil and gas, livestock and rice, waste and biogas sectors, he added.
“The methane guidelines are landmark step for Ghana’a climate leadership. Collaboration between government, industry and partners is key and the implementation will safeguard the environment while optimising resources recovery. Together, Ghana can lead in methane management,” Asuako-Ferkah indicated.
The Policy Lead, Climate Change and Energy Transition at ACEP, Dr Charles Gyamfi Ofori, said methane accounts for about 17 per cent of Green House Gases (GHGs) with agriculture being the most significant source of anthropogenic methane in the country.
The 54 per cent of total emission from agriculture come through intestinal fermentation, manure management and rice cultivation, he noted.
Data on Ghana’s livestock as at 2021, shows cattle having the highest emission factor of about 31 kilogrammes of methane per herd per year, he illustrated, adding that, “despite the higher number of goats and sheep, cattle still contributed significantly to methane emissions due to high emission factor.”
Methane is released as a bi-product through the natural digestive process of ruminants, Dr Ofori explained, with feed quality and quantity, animal breed and body size, productivity level and health status, including environmental conditions like temperature and grazing systems, as key drivers.
Manure management, the expert emphasised, was the second major contributor to methane emissions in the agriculture sector, explaining that, decomposition of livestock waste under anaerobic (with less oxygen) conditions leads to methane emission.
The rice sector is also another significant source of methane emissions as flooded paddy rice soils has become oxygen poor, triggering anaerobic decomposition that produces methane which becomes vulnerable to climate change.
Challenges
Experts argue that methane abatement faces challenges including cost and the injection of investment, locally.
“Most initiatives are largely donor supported — The bigger question is, what happens when the donor funds dwindle? If you are not able to establish a sustainable support for farmers, it may not ginger them to really invest in methane reducing alternatives,” Dr Ofori asked.
Wepia Awal, President, Peasant Farmers Association (PFA), illustrates the low understanding of environmental impact among smallholders, with about 80 per cent of rural farmers unaware of methane reduction interventions.
Hence, he suggests communication in local languages using audio visuals as a key to help farmers better understand the methane conversation, asking that, “how do you even use those words like methane and the impact on the environment?”
Accessing credits is another dimension of the “methane dilemma” as many financial institutions, even banks, were unwilling to lend to farmers because “they claim that there is high risk in agriculture,” Wepia lamented.
Solutions
Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), Dr Ofori suggested, will help break anaerobic process in rice fields and improve livestock feed quality, adding that, elephant grass could reduce methane production.
Again, Ghana’s current farmer to extension officer ratio of about one-1,500, should be improved to meet the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) benchmark of one to 400.
Dr Ofori stressed that, “M-RAP implementation must be localised else we’ll not achieve the targets. EPA can’t do it alone. That agriculture contributes 54 per cent of methane emission is critical for us to decentralise our conversation.”
Opportunities
Despite the gaps, Dr Ofori maintained that methane management presents financial opportunities that can improve productivity and reduce climate risks, arguing that, “methane is not just an environmental measure.”
FON perspectives
The Executive Director, FON, Donkris Mevuta, notes that the International Energy Agency (IEA) emphasises methane reduction as one of the fastest and most cost-effective actions available to slow near-term climate change.
“The FON event is very important to serve as building blocks for Ghana’s meaningful contribution to the Global Methane Pledge (GMP). We need to step up the momentum of the methane conversation,” he underlined.
Conclusion
Waxing with optimism, Dr Ofori believes, M-RAP is one of the biggest game changers and the strongest roadmap for methane management in Ghana.
Undoubtedly, GMP is an environmental pledge to secure Ghana’s energy future. What remains is scaling-up campaigns; government needs to de-risk the methane agenda, especially on investment and cost. Again, we need to erase farmers’ fears on switching to new labour-intensive methods.
BY CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE
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