In spite of a history of numerous government coups, Ghana is now a relatively stable democracy – in fact one of the strongest on the continent. Economic growth has been steady and hopes are high that the exploration of newly discovered oil and gold will help develop the country. But many people fear that this new income will feed corruption and undermine democracy in the longer term.

More than 70% of the population depend on the country's natural ressources for their daily supplies of food, water, energy and medicine. But the government is not always paying sufficient attention to poor people's rights and special needs. Many natural ressources, such as timber, is overexploited, which affects the local population and their income negatively.

The poorer Northern Ghana has been affected by widespread flooding following an extended drought. Over the last 30 years, average temperatures have risen by 1°C, while rain fall have dropped by 20 percent during the same period.

CARE Danmark in Ghana

CARE Danmark has five projects in Ghana focusing on improving livelihoods for poor women, men and youth who depend on nature in the savannah of northern Ghana and in the south-western rainforest zones.  CARE is working with local organisations on empowering the population in their role in developing sustainable agriculture and forestry and to secure the rights – in law and in practice – of poor population groups to land and natural resources. Increasingly, CARE has been focusing its efforts on training agricultural extension advisers in how to assist poor farmers in adapting to climate change.