Human & Physical Dilemmas in Small-Scale Irrigation Development: Evidence from Climate-Sensitive Northern Ghana

Keywords: Dry spells, agriculture water management, small-scale farmers, Ghana
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract

Abstract

Irrigation is widely accepted as an effective adaptive management strategy for small-scale farmers of traditional rain-fed crops in areas experiencing climate change. These changes include timing of onset of the rainy season and the amount/intensity of rainfall—both issues of concern to rural farmers in northern Ghana. Despite obvious benefits, it is not apparent if farmers in this area perceive irrigation as a viable or attainable option to deal with potential food insecurity related to climate change. In this paper, we examine three main issues: (1) dry spells during the early parts of the farming season; (2) impacts of these dry spells on farming systems; and (3) farmer adaptation through different agricultural water management practices. A GIS and Remote Sensing analysis using Landsat 8 and field GPS data supports findings from 72 in-depth interviews with smallholder farmers. Results from this integrated assessment reveal socio-cultural and physical barriers to manual irrigation, including labor needs, water source proximity, and size of operational land holding. Increasing climate variability in this region will necessitate adaptation by local farmers; however, we argue that irrigation projects should not be initiated without detailed understanding of local socio-cultural contexts. Effectively moving water from source to crop will require integrative knowledge of local hydrogeology and socio-cultural norms.