The government is targeting 10,000 hectares in eight regions for the first phase of the “Irrigation for Wealth Creation” project to boost agriculture production, and contribute to food security in the country.
Consequently, the regional ministers for the regions have been tasked to lead in the acquisition of land for the project, expected to begin immediately after Parliament approves the 2025 budget in March.
The regions are Volta, Oti, Central, North East, Northern, Savannah, Upper West and Upper East.
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Eric Opoku, made the announcement in Accra on Thursday when he met regional ministers, business partners and the implementing agency.
He said negotiations, surveying, mapping and design of the project was expected to begin today.
The minister added that the project sought to develop and rehabilitate irrigation infrastructure to ensure all year-round production, sustaining agri-business and create jobs.
He disclosed that, only 1.6 per cent of the 1.9 million hectares was under irrigation which was significantly below the West and Central African average of 13.9 per cent.
Therefore, the Minister said the 10,000-hectare target was expected to contribute to the country’s potential irrigable lands.
He added that, the project would also help in the production of raw materials to feed the government’s 24-hour policy.
Mr Opoku, announced that the rest of the regions would be included in phase Il of the project which would provide sufficient jobs for the youth.
He said that the government was resetting the agricultural industry by switching from rainfall to irrigation-based agriculture and that farming in Ghana was seasonal.
“If you set up a factory here that takes raw materials from the agriculture sector and if production is seasonal, agriculture will produce the raw materials for three months and the remaining months will not be functional.
“But if you have an irrigation infrastructure in place to ensure water supply throughout the year it will provide an uninterrupted supply for the industry,” he added.
He said that the proposal would not negatively affect smallholder farmers who now work in those areas since the government would give them the facilities they needed to work all year round.
“It is going to affect them positively but as for the land we have the assurance that these are areas earmarked for irrigation long ago, so we only have to conclude the discussions with the chiefs,” he stated.
To strengthen the “Feed Ghana Programme,” the minister urged the public to venture into home gardening, adding that they could plant vegetables, fruits and herbs to reduce the cost of food in the country.
He also called on senior high schools, tertiary institutions, churches and assemblies to all starting farming be it on a small, medium or on a large scale.
“We want all SHS to start farming, we do not understand why we have rich soil around our schools and our students are crying for food, like rice, maize, yams, plantains while you can produce them when you farm,” he said.
BY CECILIA YADA LAGBA
