The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has urged Eric Opoku, Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture, to focus on building robust irrigation systems to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on agriculture.
PFAG President Wepia Adugwala emphasized that Ghana’s food production must move beyond reliance on rain-fed agriculture to more resilient methods, with irrigation taking centre stage.
He stressed the importance of the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam, which can provide water to over 15,000 hectares of farmland in northern Ghana but remains underutilized.
Expanding irrigation infrastructure
Adugwala called on the minister-designate to prioritize modernizing agriculture by expanding irrigation infrastructure. He argued that these measures are critical to ensuring consistent food production and safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers.
“Irrigation should be the number one priority for the sector in this era of climate change. Farmers are struggling, and rain-fed agriculture is no longer sustainable if Ghana aims to achieve food security. Especially in northern Ghana, where much of the country’s food is produced, irrigation systems like the Pwalugu Dam must be fully utilized to support farming activities,” Adugwala said.
The Peasant Farmers Association urged swift action from the incoming minister to equip farmers with the tools and infrastructure they need to adapt to changing weather patterns and boost productivity.