By: Bismark Awinbire Akurugu, Prosper Bazaanah, Sylvester Afram Boadi, Mark Osei-Owusu, Simeon Odametey, Samuel Kyei-Manuh, Salisu Mustapha, Barnabas A. Amisigo and Emmanuel Obuobie

In August 2025, the CSIR–Water Research Institute (CSIR-WRI), with funding support from DANIDA, organised a series of Science Engagement Workshops under the theme “Using Science Engagement to Capacitate Stakeholders for Climate-Resilient Water Management.”  The first workshop was held in Kumasi for stakeholders in the Pra River Basin, followed by a second in Koforidua for stakeholders in the Densu River Basin. The stakeholders were drawn from different institutions, including the Water Resources Commission (Pra and Densu Basin Secretariat), Small Scale Miners Association, Environmental Protection Agency, Forestry Commission, Community Water and Sanitation Agency, National Commission for Civic Education, Water Producers Association, Poultry Farmers, Minerals Commission, Department of Gender, Regional Coordinating Councils and Municipal, Metropolitan and District Assemblies within the basins. The engagements aimed to promote the uptake of scientific findings, and decision-support tools developed by the CREAM Project to strengthen water use, management, and conservation in a changing climate. During the workshops, the CREAM Project research team shared a range of datasets, research findings, and practical tools developed through the project. These included high-resolution climate data that offer detailed insights into extreme events like prolonged dry spells and heatwaves. They also presented simulations of surface and groundwater availability using the SWAT and MODFLOW models to show how climate change and land-use changes affect water resources in the basins. In addition, the team showcased work on ecosystem services and valuation, as well as a decision-support dashboard for water allocation and trade-off analyses. Participants also learned about ecosystem services and basin-level governance, helping them identify gaps, understand stakeholder roles, and explore new ways to improve collaboration for more effective and inclusive water management.

Reflections from the ensuing discussions and exchanges highlighted new learning around integrated water resources management and proactive adaptation strategies to address the challenges posed by climate variability, land-use pressures, and environmental degradation, including illegal mining, which threatens both water quality and socio-economic resilience. Participants recognized that the data, tools, and climate-resilient water management concepts and tools presented through the CREAM Project were directly relevant to their professional roles. They particularly appreciated the innovative climate datasets, modelling tools, and the integrated trade-offs analysis dashboard, which support informed decision-making and stakeholder engagement in basin water management. Participants came to understand that effective basin management requires the collaborative involvement of all key stakeholders in decision-making and enforcement processes. The workshops ended with participants calling for more frequent science engagement events and enforcement against environmental violations to ensure sustainable water resource management within the basins.

Figure: A cross-section of stakeholders at the science engagement workshops in Kumasi for the Pra River Basin (upper & middle pictures) and in Koforidua for the Densu River Basin (lower picture)

Bismark Awinbire Akurugu is an Assistant Research Scientist at the Water Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-WRI), Accra-Ghana

 Dr. Prosper Bazaanah is a Research Scientist at the CSIR-WRI, Accra-Ghana

Dr. Sylvester Afram Boadi is a Research Scientist at the CSIR-WRI,  

Simeon Odametey is an Assistant Research Scientist at the CSIR-WRI, Accra-Ghana

Dr. Mark Osei-Owusu is an Assistant Research Scientist at the CSIR-WRI, Accra-Ghana

Dr. Samuel Kyei-Manuh is a PhD graduate on the CREAM Project

Dr. Salisu Mustapha is a PhD graduate of the CREAM Project,  

Dr. Barnabas A. Amisigo is a Principal Research Scientist at the CSIR-WRI, Accra-Ghana.

Dr. Emmanuel Obuobie is a Principal Research Scientist at the CSIR-WRI, Accra- Ghana