Field Trip to Ghana: Rivers, Coasts, and Smiles
Hello This is Eyad Rami, m1 Student at Kawasaki Group.
In August, I had the chance to join our lab's research trip to Ghana under the SATREPS project supported by Jica —The main aim of our trip to Ghana was to study riverine and coastal systems, assess disaster risks, and understand the social impacts of flooding and erosion in vulnerable communities.
Ghana a country I had only read about in books until then. The journey started in Accra, the capital. The airport was smaller than Tokyo's, but surprisingly well organized. The weather welcomed us with a twist: cooler than Tokyo and often cloudy, with light rains that made the city feel calm. For the first two nights, we stayed near the airport, waiting for the rest of the team to arrive.
Exploring the Volta River
On August 8th, our adventure truly began. Along with colleagues from the Coastal Engineering Lab, we headed east to the Volta River. Boarding a small boat, we traveled from upstream down to the river mouth, where the Volta empties into the Atlantic Ocean.
It wasn't just sightseeing—we worked too:
Collected sediment samples from the banks.
Used sonar to measure river depth.
Took note of disaster risk reduction (DRR) projects along the way.
Reaching the shoreline, the transition was striking—calm river waters giving way to the restless waves of the Atlantic.
The Keta Region: A Narrow Strip of Struggle
Our next stop was Keta, a long, narrow strip of land squeezed between the sea (south) and the lagoon (north). Beautiful? Yes. Vulnerable? Even more so.
Keta has suffered from severe flooding and tidal waves for years. Many houses and schools have been washed away. Fishing, the main source of livelihood, has been hit hard, and people have lost boats, nets, and income.
We conducted household surveys and spoke with community leaders. Their stories revealed how floods affect not only property but also education, livelihoods, and even mental health. While there are some DRR measures in place.
Cape Coast and the Brown Pra River
From Keta, we continued westward to Cape Coast, making stops at flood-control structures that channel lagoon waters into the sea.
We also visited the University of Cape Coast and the Africa Center of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR), we exchanged ideas with local researchers.
One of the most striking sites was the Pra River. Its waters were a deep brown, not strongly from chocolate (unfortunately), but from sediment and mining runoff. Seeing how human activity shapes river systems was both fascinating and sobering.
Back to Accra: The Densu River
Our final fieldwork took us to the Densu River, flowing from the Weija Dam into the Densu Delta. Flooding here is a recurring challenge—sometimes from heavy rains, sometimes from dam spillage.
We explored the river by boat, taking sediment samples and noting the presence of mangroves. Together with the Kawasaki Group and students from the University of Cape Coast, we also conducted household surveys in the delta communities. Fishing, fish smoking, and small-scale trading form the backbone of local livelihoods, and many families also raise goats and chickens. But floods disrupt nearly every aspect of life—from housing and income to children's schooling and community health.
in my view the region still needs greater investment, awareness campaigns, and stronger environmental management—especially in waste and sanitation.
Reflections
Beyond the data and samples, what stays with me most is the kindness of the Ghanaian people. Despite the challenges they face, they welcomed us with open smiles, endless patience, and stories that gave our research a very human face.
Ghana is a country of great natural beauty, cultural warmth, and enormous potential. With the right investments in coastal protection, waste management, and sustainable infrastructure, I believe its future is as bright as the smiles of the people we met along the way.
