Peasant Farmers Calls on Agric Minister-Designate to Prioritize Irrigation in sector
Accra, Ghana - 17 Jan, 2025 - Ghana's peasant farmers has urged the incoming Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, to prioritize irrigation development to combat climate change's impact on agriculture.
The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has noted that relying on traditional rain-fed farming is no longer sustainable.
PFAG's national president, Wepia Adugwala, emphasizes the need for resilient farming methods, including widespread irrigation use. He highlights the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam's potential to irrigate over 15,000 hectares of land, particularly in northern Ghana.
The association is calling for swift action to modernize the sector and support farmers with climate-resilient infrastructure. Effective use of the Pwalugu Dam and similar resources is crucial for securing food production and livelihoods, Adugwala stresses.
“So for us, in this area of climate change, irrigation should number one for the sector. Because if you look at what farmers are going through now, we keep saying that if Ghana is to become sustainable in food production, we cannot keep relying on rain for agriculture. So, we want him to look at irrigation which is very important to us. Especially those of us in northern Ghana where we produce a lot of food staff and we require that. We even have the Pawalugu Multipurpose Dam which is very key because it can irrigate over 15 hectors of lands.''
Source: Lead News Online
