Water for a food-secure world

Implementing agricultural water improvements in

challenging contexts: Ghana

12 September 2012

Water for a food-secure worldWater for a food-secure world

Focus of IFAD investments: Ghana

• Upper East Region Land Conversation and Rehabilitation Project

• Upper West Agricultural Development Project• Northern Region Poverty Reduction Program• Northern Rural Growth Program

Water for a food-secure worldWater for a food-secure world

What are the challenges?

• Policy development, gap in implementation• Data: access and quality• Decentralization• Technical design• Community engagement

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Development and AWM challenges

• Selection of sites: needs and factors• Low capacity of contractors• Low capacity in finance and admin• Delay in payments from development partners• Poor exit strategy (incomplete projects, transfer)• Low capacity to deliver services• Lack of coordination between MoFA and GIDA• Lack of data, inaccessible research results

Water for a food-secure worldWater for a food-secure world

District level challenges

• Partisanship at local level• Accountability upwards• Sub-structures of decentralization not created• Neglect of agriculture at local level• Lack of expertise in agricultural water at

district level

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Community Level Challenges on Schemes

• Watershed management – lack of compliance• Upstream management: siltation• Maintenance: WUA fees do not cover, low

capacity of WUAs for O & M• Incomplete construction – supervision of

contractors• Design challenges: capacity for O&M, multiple

uses, livestock incursion into irrigated fields

Water for a food-secure worldWater for a food-secure world

Community Level Challenges

• Land tenure: seasonal user rights • Gender, participation and decision-making• Profitability challenges: – Market access and low prices for commodities – High cost of and lack of access to inputs– Small plot size– Appropriateness of investments in agricultural

water (reservoirs, water lifting options)

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Community cited benefits of irrigation schemes

• Increased food security• Higher cash income• Livestock benefit • Decrease in outward migration rates• Off-season work• Multiple use benefits

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Recommendations• Policy consultation, coordination, advocacy• Improving procurement, financial administration:

building capacity, awareness • Project design: site selection, community engagement,

O & M capacity levels, multiple use, integrated components, longer time

• Extension service capacity strengthening• Strengthening SAKSS for research and data• Community engagement