Kumasi: Researchers, policymakers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, development partners, and community stakeholders have converged in Kumasi to deliberate on approaches to building climate resilience and advancing sustainable development.
According to Ghana News Agency, the event, dubbed African Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus Summit, forms part of a broader TRANS-SAHARA Project. This flagship European Union Horizon Europe research and innovation initiative is implemented across Ghana, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Senegal, Djibouti, and Chad.
In Ghana, the project is spearheaded by the Technology Consultancy Centre - a Centre for Innovation, Manufacturing and Emerging Technologies (TCC-CIMET) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). It collaborates with local communities, government institutions, and research organizations to develop practical, community-led solutions for climate resilience and sustainable natural resource management.
Professor Daphne Gondhalekar from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany, and Project Coordinator and Principal Investigator of the TRANS-SAHARA Project, highlighted during the opening of the four-day summit that the program reflects a shared commitment to addressing the interconnected challenges of water security, sustainable energy, food systems, ecosystem restoration, and climate resilience. She emphasized the importance of water security as a priority, noting that climate change would make water accessibility increasingly unpredictable.
Prof Gondhalekar explained, "The nexus approach may help us to think about water resources more holistically as one close cycle where we can recycle wastewater and use it as a resource. In TRANS SAHARA, we are focusing on storing flood water for its use in the dry season instead of letting it run-off. This is how a holistic approach can help us to prepare for climate change impacts and make systems and society more resilient."
She called for stronger partnerships with policymakers to embed this cross-disciplinary approach in decision-making processes.
Prof Francis K. Davis, the Director General of TCC-CIMET, noted that Africa continues to face growing impacts of climate change, including droughts, floods, declining soil fertility, water insecurity, biodiversity loss, and rising energy demands, which increasingly affect livelihoods, food production, and economic development. He reiterated that these challenges do not occur independently; they interact in complex ways that require integrated solutions. The WEFE Nexus provided such a framework, emphasizing that sustainable development cannot be achieved through isolated sectoral interventions.
"Water security depends on healthy ecosystems. Food production depends on sustainable water management and reliable energy. Renewable energy development must protect biodiversity," he advocated.
Prof Davis highlighted that the Technology Consultancy Centre has, for decades, served as a bridge between research, innovation, and development practice. The Centre's mandate has always extended beyond generating knowledge to ensuring that knowledge translates into tangible improvements in people's lives.
Prof Mrs Rita Dickson, the Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, called for collective commitment to translating research into practical solutions, empowering the next generation of innovators, and building resilient societies capable of meeting environmental challenges. The summit was themed: "Harnessing Resources for Sustainable Climate-Smart Water-Secure Development."