The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) says Ghana is making decisive progress toward year-round food production through an aggressive expansion of irrigation infrastructure under the Feed Ghana Programme (FGP).
This, according to the Ministry, is central to President John Dramani Mahama’s vision of shifting the country away from rain-fed agriculture toward a climate-resilient, productivity-driven farming system.
Speaking during the Government Accountability Series, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, said irrigation remains one of the most critical enablers of food sufficiency and wealth creation.
“If we are serious about food security, then irrigation is non-negotiable,” the Minister stated. “His Excellency John Dramani Mahama has been very clear, Ghana must move beyond rain-fed farming. That is why we are investing heavily in irrigation infrastructure to guarantee all-year crop production.”
Major Infrastructure Achievements in the Last Nine Months
Hon. Opoku outlined significant progress made in irrigation development since the inception of the programme:
Construction of 10 new small dams
Rehabilitation of 8 existing irrigation dams
Installation of 250 solar-powered boreholes for farming communities and second-cycle schools across the five northern regions, Bono, and Ahafo
He added that the government, with support from development partners, is also rehabilitating several major irrigation schemes across the country. These include:
Vea Irrigation Scheme – 850 hectares, Bolgatanga and Bongo, Upper East Region
Weta Irrigation Scheme – 880 hectares, Ketu North, Volta Region
Tanoso Irrigation Scheme – 100 hectares, Techiman, Bono East
Kpong Irrigation Scheme – 930 hectares, Shai Osudoku & Lower Manya, Greater Accra/Eastern Region
Ashaiman Irrigation Scheme – 200 hectares, Greater Accra
Aveyime Irrigation Scheme – 245 hectares, Volta Region
Support from International Partners
Hon. Opoku acknowledged strong collaboration from development partners, which he said has accelerated the pace of irrigation development.
“Our partners have been instrumental in this progress. Their support is helping us reach more communities faster than originally planned,” he noted.
Key contributions include:
25 solar-powered boreholes donated by Canada — 15 completed; 10 to be finished by first quarter of 2026.
44 solar-powered boreholes donated by the European Union through the FAO for selected northern districts.
New Inland Valley Rice Projects Underway
To boost domestic rice production, MoFA has initiated processes for the construction of new Inland Valley Rice Projects in various regions. These include:
Anunuso Inland Valley – 175 hectares, Ashanti Region
Atonsu Inland Valley – 150 hectares, Ashanti Region
Kawampe Inland Valley – 647 hectares, Bono East Region
Odaho & Odamu Inland Valleys – 114 hectares, Ashanti Region
Waamu-Kumi Inland Valley – 114 hectares, Ashanti Region
These projects, the Minister explained, will significantly increase rice cultivation and reduce Ghana’s long-standing dependence on rice imports.
FSRP to Support Additional Pipeline Projects
The Minister also revealed that the Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP) is supporting several pipeline irrigation projects aimed at empowering smallholder farmers while anchoring large commercial agricultural clusters.
“These interventions will not only secure our food supply but will transform agriculture into a driver of wealth creation,” Hon. Opoku emphasized. “We are building a system where farmers can grow, harvest, and earn all year round.”
Minister for Food and Agriculture says the irrigation expansion marks one of the boldest infrastructural efforts in recent decades and is essential to ensuring sustainable food production, job creation, and long-term national food security.
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
