The Wa East MP and Chairman of Parliament’s Food and Agriculture Committee, Dr Godfred Seidu Jasaw, has urged climate finance institutions to align fund disbursements with agricultural seasons, warning that delays can cost farmers an entire year of production and income.
He said the effectiveness of climate finance should be measured not only by how quickly institutions process funding but also by whether resources reach projects and communities when they are needed.
Addressing a discussion on climate finance, Dr Jasaw questioned the meaning of “rapid finance”, arguing that a delay that appears reasonable on a project timetable could have serious consequences for farmers with limited planting windows.
He cited a recent visit by his committee to a Farmer Services Centre under construction in the Afram Plains area, where he called for timely funding to ensure the facility opens as planned.
He also raised concerns about the financing model for the Pwalugu irrigation project, insisting that long-term infrastructure should not depend on uncertain annual capital releases. He said Parliament must assess whether financing arrangements are affordable, sustainable and capable of supporting projects through to completion.
Dr Jasaw called on the CVF-V20 to engage parliamentary committees while financing proposals are still being developed and provide options tailored to specific national investments.
He said Parliament could help remove legal and budgetary barriers, strengthen implementation and sustain commitments beyond individual ministries or electoral cycles.
For farmers and rural communities, he stressed, the ultimate test is whether funding arrives on time, infrastructure functions after construction and investments generate real economic benefits.