Ghana is gradually losing some of its indigenous crops and plant varieties as climate change, urbanisation and changing consumer preferences continue to threaten the country's agricultural biodiversity.

The Director of the Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) , Dr. Daniel Ashie Kotey, has warned that the trend poses a significant risk to the country's food security, agricultural resilience and future crop improvement efforts.

Speaking on Joy Business' Agribusiness Month, Dr. Kotey described the situation as an emergency, stressing the urgent need to preserve local crop varieties before they disappear entirely from farms and dining tables.

"There is an emergency going on. Indigenous crops are disappearing from our plates and without the gene bank, we cannot make sure that future generations have the opportunity to utilize them," he said.

According to him, the need to conserve indigenous crops has become even more critical as climate change accelerates and consumer tastes evolve, particularly among younger generations.

He noted that many traditional foods that were once staples in Ghanaian households are gradually falling out of favour, reducing demand and discouraging farmers from cultivating them.

"Our kids no longer eat some of the things that we used to eat. Once these disappear from our plates, the farmer who cultivates them has to abandon them because when he harvests, he will not get anyone to buy them and he needs to survive," he explained.

Dr. Kotey warned that the loss of indigenous crops could have long-term implications for agricultural research and crop breeding programmes, which rely on genetic diversity to develop improved varieties that can withstand pests, diseases and changing climatic conditions.

He also highlighted the untapped commercial potential of many indigenous crops, citing baobab as an example of a local resource that has generated significant value in international markets.

"Niche foods are a multi-billion-dollar industry. If you take, for instance, baobab, all kinds of products are being developed from baobab, including wine. But over here, we've left it in the wild," he said.

The CSIR scientist is therefore calling for greater investment in the conservation, research and commercialization of indigenous crops to ensure they remain relevant in modern food systems while safeguarding Ghana's agricultural heritage for future generations.

Experts say preserving local crop varieties could play a crucial role in strengthening food security and building resilience against the growing threats posed by climate change.