General Secretary of the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), Edward Kareweh, has identified illegal mining, known as galamsey, as the foremost threat to agriculture in Ghana.

Speaking on Joy News' PM Express, Kareweh stressed the urgency of addressing this issue in discussions with political leaders who aspire to govern the country.

During his conversation with Evans Mensah, Kareweh highlighted the severe impact of climate change on agriculture, noting that expected seasonal reductions in food prices have not materialized due to delayed or insufficient rainfall.

He emphasized that the combined effects of climate change and local actions, particularly illegal mining, are devastating for the sector.

"People think that climate change is a Western problem, but we are feeling its effects too. Why aren’t we harvesting enough? It’s not just the rains; our lands are destroyed," Kareweh explained. "The persistent destruction of land by galamsey without reclamation has a lasting impact, much like the aftermath of a fire."

Kareweh revealed that illegal mining is rampant in 13 out of the 16 regions, posing a significant threat to agriculture. "Illegal mining has become the number one threat to agriculture, making the future look bleak," he warned.

He criticized political parties for not clearly articulating their strategies to combat illegal mining.

"We’ve demanded clear plans from political parties on how they will address galamsey. With such extensive land degradation, how can we build irrigation dams when our rivers are destroyed? Any river dammed today would yield polluted water unsuitable for agriculture," he stated.

Kareweh also expressed concerns that the effects of climate change would hit Ghana harder than other countries due to the extensive damage caused by illegal mining.

He noted that neighboring countries like Burkina Faso are advancing their agricultural irrigation and will soon cease exporting food crops, focusing instead on processing them domestically.

"The impact of climate change, combined with illegal mining activities, will severely affect Ghana’s agricultural sector," Kareweh concluded.

The GAWU General Secretary's remarks underline the critical need for immediate and effective measures to tackle illegal mining and mitigate its harmful effects on agriculture and the environment.