GIDA’s Involvement Critical to the Success of One Village One Dam Policy

The One Village One Dam policy has been marred by poor implementation due to the non-involvement of the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA), according to recent research conducted by the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG). The study found that GIDA did not play a critical role in the construction and supervision of the earth dams, leading to substandard work and a lack of involvement from key stakeholders, particularly beneficiary communities.

The PFAG research specifically looked at the Vunania and Gia dams in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality in the Upper East Region. The Vunania dam, being implemented by GIDA with increased investment and supervision, was found to be well-constructed with a large reservoir and compact embankment, enabling it to store water throughout the year for dry season farming. On the other hand, the Gia dam, which was implemented by a private consultant without GIDA’s involvement, was poorly constructed with structural features that caused it to dry up by January 2023.

The findings suggest that GIDA’s involvement in the construction and supervision of irrigation dams is critical to ensuring quality work and value for money. The PFAG research recommends that all irrigation dams should be executed by GIDA with increased investment and supervision to replicate the success of the Vunania dam.

Irrigation is crucial to sustaining agriculture in the northern sector, and the lessons learned from the successful implementation of the Vunania dam should be replicated on other dams under the One Village One Dam program. The Executive Director of PFAG, Dr. Charles Kwowe Nyaaba, emphasizes the importance of ensuring proper construction and sustainability of the dams to support dry season farming.

For the most part, the One Village One Dam policy has failed due to poor implementation and supervision. However, the success of the Vunania dam, which was well-executed with expert knowledge, supervision, and community involvement, proves that GIDA’s involvement is critical to the success of the policy. It is imperative that the Ministry takes special interest in replicating the findings of the research into other dams to ensure year-round agricultural production.

Source: Ghana News Agency