Ghana’s agriculture, spread across more than 58,000 km² of cultivated land, remains almost entirely rain‑fed. Just 2–3% benefit from irrigation infrastructure, leaving the vast majority of farms exposed to increasingly erratic weather.
This imbalance matters more than ever. Since the 1960s, Ghana has warmed by around 1 °C, and rainfall patterns are growing unpredictable, with shorter wet seasons, prolonged dry spells, and sudden floods. With over 45% of the workforce dependent on rain‑fed agriculture, every climatic hiccup echoes directly in market prices.
Estimates suggest Ghana has the potential to irrigate between 360,000 and 1.9 million hectares. Yet much of its existing irrigation infrastructure remains underutilized. Public schemes such as Kpong, Tono, and Vea, which have served farmers for decades, continue to operate below capacity, often limited by aging equipment, maintenance gaps, and logistical bottlenecks that make a consistent water supply a challenge.
There have been efforts to reverse this trend. In recent years, the Ghana Commercial Agriculture Project, supported by the World Bank, provided a notable example of what targeted investment can achieve. With a $62 million investment, the project rehabilitated parts of the Kpong system and neighboring irrigation facilities, introducing modernized pumping stations, upgraded canals, and improved drainage networks.
The results have been significant. Farmers in these areas have seen rice yields rise from an average of 4.5 to 5.5 metric tons per hectare, while also gaining the ability to cultivate two full crops each year, even during the traditionally dry season.
Such progress highlights what is possible when irrigation infrastructure is properly maintained and adapted to changing conditions. It also offers lessons for how similar interventions could be expanded to other parts of the country, especially as Ghana contemplates broader investments in agricultural resilience.
The recent appreciation of the cedi adds a further layer of opportunity. With the currency stronger against major international benchmarks, the cost of importing essential irrigation components, such as pumps, pipes, and solar-powered drip systems, has temporarily eased. For many smallholder communities long deterred by high upfront costs, this currency window could make small-scale irrigation more attainable, if properly supported.
In IMANI’s own words: “The cedi gain could be used to support expansion of smallholder irrigation schemes [and] rehabilitation of underperforming public irrigation projects.” They further emphasize that “irrigation links directly to increased crop intensity and supports off‑season cultivation, especially for vegetables and high‑value crops.”
These observations point not to abstract ideals, but to a practical, actionable path forward. As the climate shifts, such steps become increasingly urgent. Across much of West Africa, governments are now making systematic investments in irrigation as a frontline defense against growing climate pressures. Ghana, with its existing but underutilized irrigation systems, finds itself at a pivotal moment in this regional effort.
Of course, expanding irrigation comes with challenges. Some policymakers remain cautious, mindful of the significant upfront costs, complex maintenance requirements, and the need for long-term governance structures that can ensure fair access and sustainable water use.
Yet, the risks of inaction are steadily rising. As weather patterns grow more volatile, the consequences of relying so heavily on rainfall could soon overwhelm even the most resilient farmers.
If approached thoughtfully, through phased rehabilitation of existing public schemes, carefully designed support for smallholder communities, and the strengthening of water management institutions, Ghana could begin to close this longstanding gap.
Such a strategy would not only increase harvest frequency and stabilize rural incomes but also help insulate the country’s food supply from the growing uncertainties of a warming climate.
For now, many Ghanaian farmers continue to rely on tradition, watching the skies and hoping for timely rains. But survival alone may no longer be enough. In the years ahead, transforming that fragile 2–3% of irrigated farmland into a foundation for year-round, climate-resilient production may prove essential not only for agriculture but for national stability itself.
