Host Country

Ghana

Highlights

Effective use of water improves farmers’ food security

Budget

• US$1 million
• In 2002, the African Development bank disbursed an estimated US$9 million for FAO activities in 8 countries, of which US$1 million was committed to a 3 year programme in Ghana.

Beneficiaries

Nine villages scattered among several administrative regions of the country.

Commencement Date

2003–2006

Background

• Ghana is well endowed with natural resources and has twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so, it remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance.
• Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange.
• The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for roughly 40% of the GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders.
• Ghana suffers from inadequate supplies of potable water on a national level, including recurring droughts, especially in the north of the country, severely affecting agricultural output and food security in general.

Goals 

Increase farmer production, and therefore improve the present situation of food insecurity. 

Activities

• Effective use of low-cost irrigation techniques
• Diversifying from crops into livestock and fish
• Introduction of high value horticultural crops

SSC

• To address the persistent problem of water shortages in Ghana, the programme benefited from irrigation expertise in the form of South-South Cooperation between China and Ghana.
• The deployment of 23 Chinese experts working hand-in-hand with the Ghana Ministry of Agriculture resulted in a rehabilitation of 2 dams in the project areas, ensuring a steady supply of water for farmers and local inhabitants. Chinese experts introduced low-cost equipment such as pedal and motorized pumps together with efficient water conveyance systems, delivering a more consistent supply of water to support the local needs.
• Through the dissemination of efficient irrigation procedures, yields for newly introduced high value horticultural crops such as rice, maze and onions increased threefold, representing a considerable increase in farmer income and access to food in project areas.

Results

• By diversifying the diet of populations in project areas, the SPFS demonstrated to local farmers the potential of short-cycle animal species (poultry, sheep, goats and pigs) for income generation, enhancement of human nutrition, and the reduction of household vulnerability to natural and economic shocks. Particular emphasis was placed on improved housing and livestock management as well as distribution of improved breeds, veterinary drugs, vaccines and equipment.
• The introduction of fish through the construction and stocking of fish ponds in three villages is an important step to improve dietary protein intake and employment.
• The most common indicator used to assess impact on food security is the length of the lean period when staple food is not available at household level. From a visit by FAO regional staff to nine villages, it appeared that the participating families no longer experienced the 2–3 months lack of food. The villages had increased their production through the effective use of water and had access to other sources of income from vegetables, small animals and aquaculture.