Informations et ressources scientifiques
sur le développement des zones arides et semi-arides

Titre : Sustainable Agricultural Water Management in Cereal-Based Farming Systems of Northern Ghana

Pays/Région : Ghana

Durée  : May 1, 2012 - September 30, 2012

Descriptif
In Ghana, the agricultural sector continues to drive economic growth and sustain livelihoods. However, the sector is plagued by declining agricultural productivity due to lack of adoption of technologies and heavy dependence on rainfall which is unreliable and irregular leading to extended droughts and reduced crop yields. With specific reference to Northern Ghana, crops are grown in an agro-ecological zone that is characterized by a uni-modal rainfall pattern, with 3 to 4 months of rainfall and 6 to 7 months of dry season. Even within the rainy season, dry spells do occur with devastating effects on grain yield. In this environment, small-scale supplemental irrigation systems in both the rainy and dry seasons based on surface and ground water abstraction can lead to positive improvements in the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in maize and legume-based farming systems of Northern Ghana. In this research study, we intend to provide tools and training that can assist in scaling-up and out proven irrigation and water harvesting technologies in the proposed target areas.

Collaborateurs : Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology(KNUST), Water Research Institute-Council for Scientific and Industrial Research,

Présentation : IWMI