The 5th IRAD International Conference has opened at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Nyankpala, bringing together researchers, policymakers, development partners and students to deliberate on water resources, climate change resilience and sustainable systems.
The three-day conference serves as a scientific platform for stakeholders across Africa and the globe to build partnerships, share research findings and promote innovative solutions aimed at strengthening the water, irrigation and sustainable agriculture sectors.
It also seeks to foster collaboration and develop practical, implementable strategies to address water and climate challenges in the country and beyond.
It is organised by the West African Centre for Water, Irrigation and Sustainable Agriculture (WACWISA) of the UDS under the theme: “Water Resources, Climate Change Resilience and Sustainable Systems.”
This year’s conference (IRAD 2026) attracted more than 85 scientific abstracts from authors affiliated with institutions in 16 countries, marking a significant improvement over IRAD 2024 underscoring the growing international relevance of the conference.
Professor Felix Kofi Abagale, the Director of WACWISA, at the opening of the conference at Nyankpala, near Tamale, said IRAD 2026 was aimed at establishing and strengthening relationships among scientists, promoting the dissemination of research findings and encouraging cross-fertilisation of ideas.
He said the conference also provided an opportunity for sector players to deliberate on challenges, explore growth strategies and identify investment and financing opportunities within the water and climate sectors.
Professor Abagale emphasised the urgent need to address climate change challenges in the country and Africa saying sustainable water management, climate resilience and clean energy systems were central to agricultural productivity, hydropower generation and economic growth.
He said WACWISA had so far trained more than 142 Master’s and PhD students from 26 African countries and over 1,000 participants through short courses demonstrating its expanding continental footprint in water and climate research.
Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, described the conference’s theme as critical to both national and global development, emphasising the importance of sustainable resource manageme9ownwnt.
Dr Jinapor said although Africa contributed only about two to three per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the continent remained the most vulnerable to climate change impact due to low resilience levels.
He told the participants to “Let this conference produce practical implementable recommendations. Let it catalyse results-driven commitments, innovative solutions and strong partnerships that transform sustainable systems from aspirations into reality.”
He announced the government’s plans to install solar-powered water pumps along the Black Volta River to support irrigation and improve food security.
Professor Mohamed Muniru Iddrisu, the Principal of the Nyankpala Campus of UDS, said climate change was redefining the hydrological cycle of the northern part of the country affecting rainfall patterns, water availability and agricultural productivity.
He emphasised that “Without reliable and sustainably managed water resources, our ambitions for food security, energy security, public health and environmental protection cannot be realised.”
Mr Ali Adolf John, the Northern Regional Minister, whose speech was read on his behalf by Hajia Hawa Musah, Northern Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture, called for stronger multi-stakeholder collaboration to tackle water and climate challenges.
He urged the youth, farmers and local communities to adopt climate-resilient practices, saying government’s efforts alone were not sufficient to achieve sustainable water resource management and climate resilience.
