World Vision Ghana’s (WVG) support of an ultra-modern multi-purpose solar-powered limited mechanized irrigation facility is improving household food and nutrition security.
It is also reducing the migration of youth from Kpatinga to other areas.
“All-year round cropping opportunities improved food and nutrition security and income among households in Kpatinga-thanks to the irrigation system World Vision constructed.”Now we have 50 farmers doing irrigation farming, cashing in additional income through the sale of vegetables, particularly during the dry season,” said Madam Asana Alhassan, a farmer has said.
A statement from WVG and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said Madam Alhassan, hitherto, the long drought and erratic rainfall had lowered the productivity of farmers at Kpatinga drastically, thus increasing food insecurity and widening poverty and gender equality gaps.
“An era when parents used to encourage their children’s migration decisions as a desperate measure to meet their financial and livelihood needs has passed. Migration decision was a strategy to decrease household dependence during inactive agricultural seasons”, she added.
“Since the introduction of dry season farming, we (parents) no longer support our children’s decision to migrate to urban cities to undertake head porterage, also known as “Kayayee,” because the irrigation facility now provides an opportunity for an additional income and livelihood within the community.
“She said, aside from reducing youth migration, the facility also reduced the burdens women and girls go through in search of water for household chores. We no longer trek long distances to fetch water for household usage”.
“We become more vulnerable by living without stable livelihood activities. Rainfall is no longer reliable for farmers to produce enough to feed their families. “The inauguration of the Kpatinga dry season gardening system has renewed our hopes,” said, Abubakri, also a farmer added.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Gushiegu Municipality, Yajah Dawuni Robert, could not hide his joy as he joined World Vision National Director, Mr. Dickens Thunde, to inaugurate the 6-acre solar-powered irrigation system.
The statement said the facility did not only offer all-year-round cropping opportunities for farmers, but also served as a source of potable drinking water for over 500 residents and improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene services, relieved women and girls from trekking long distances to fetch water for household chores and contributing towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 2, 5, and 13”.
The MCE commended World Vision Ghana for its continued support and commitment to the most vulnerable people and communities and urged other communities to adopt dry-season farming to build their resilience against climate change.
The National Director of World Vision Ghana, Mr. Dickens Thunde, said his outfit was committed to helping vulnerable children to become responsible and useful to society.
“All our interventions, whether it is irrigation, water, income-generating activities, or empowerment, are all geared towards improving children’s education, lives, health, and wellbeing,” said Mr. Thunde.
He commended the community for embracing dry season gardening as an alternative livelihood and income-generating activity and urged them to take care of the facility to enjoy its benefits
In Northern Ghana, where protracted drought and irregular rainfall are causing food insecurity and growing poverty among poor farmers, further development of the water, energy, and technological infrastructure would aid in creating sustainable farming for improved
World Vision is a Christian relief organization that focuses on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience the fullness of life.
GNA