Women farmers in Zaare appeal for dams to facilitate their farming activities

Correspondence from Upper East Region

The Upper East Region has just one rainy season in a year. Even with this, the rains are not regular.

The rainy season which initially started in April and ended in September has been distorted in recent years due to climate change.

May is gradually grinding to a halt, and farmers have not yet planted their crops due to lack of rain.

The situation has thrown farmers into a state of frustration, as they do not have an alternative source of water.

On the back of this, women farmers in Zaare, a suburb of Bolgatanga in the Upper East region, are appealing for mechanised boreholes or dugouts.

They believe that with this, they will be able to produce food in the dry season, which will sustain them till the rainy season.

They also believe that it will minimize the impact of the yearly erratic rainfalls they have been experiencing due to the climate change situation.

They spoke to GhanaWeb's Upper East Regional Correspondent, Sarah Dubure regarding the matter.

A farmer, Madam Georgina Aberise, lamented that the pattern of rainfall was very disturbing.

She indicated that they are a group of women farming rice and maize but are facing serious challenges due to the water challenge.

She noted there was a time that one would have to buy bito, the cheapest vegetable, at the cost of GH¢10.

"It got to a time that you would have to buy bito and alefu at a cost of GH¢10 each. To be able to prepare soup for the family, you needed a total of GH¢50. So how do you feed the children including?” she quizzed.

She pleaded that if they are able to help them with dugouts, it would go a long way to help them, as they would grow all these vegetables.

Another farmer, Madam Jennifer, raised concerns about the rate at which the cost of foodstuffs was soaring.

"We can't farm at this time. Where will we get water to farm? We those in Bolga don't have food at all. Not long ago, a bowl of maize was GH¢3.50p. It is now sold at GH¢16.00. Just two years ago, millet was sold at GH¢15. It is now sold at GH¢25.

Madam Jennifer was optimistic that if they are supported with water, it will help minimize the yearly food shortage they face in the region.

"If we are able to get water to do irrigation during the dry season, it will be very good. Even if the rain doesn't come early during the dry season, we will have food to hold onto, while waiting for the rainy season food," he said.

Wading into the call for mechanised boreholes, the Municipal Chairman of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, Rev John Akaribo noted that it was a call in the right direction.

He however conceded that it was very difficult for them to do that as it was very expensive.

He pointed out that the One Village One Dam policy by the government was a laudable idea, but quickly added that its implementation was poor.

"It was a laudable idea, but the implementation was poor. We have been crying to the government," he lamented.

Mr. Akaribo further pointed out that the Pwalugu multi-purpose dam was a good initiative that would be of immense benefit to farmers in the region.

He noted that the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia visited some time ago with some equipment and promised that they would work on the much talked about Pwalugu multiple-purpose dam.

He said according to the Vice President, his office had come up with a budget but they are yet to find out if they have made any process.

"We are in the second half of the year already," he said.

He also observed that the dam, when constructed, will curb the annual flood that occurs as a result of the spillage of the Bagre Dam.

He indicated that all the water will be contained in the dam when constructed.

He also called on government to invest in Agric and use the money to support groups like the cooperative groups that are into farming.

"Assuming the government was to invest into Agric and use the money to support these groups, it would help a lot," he suggested.

He asserted that India had adopted a water supply strategy that is beneficial to them, and suggested same for Ghana, as it would help a lot.

"You go to India and most of the areas are using underground irrigation systems. They sink the boreholes underground. It will be down working and doesn't cause hazards like mosquitoes.