The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, has officially broken ground for the commencement of the Rehabilitation of Irrigation Schemes and the Improvement of Irrigation Water Management Project at Ashaiman. This transformative project aims to revitalize key irrigation facilities across Ghana, including Ashaiman, Aveyime, Dowenya, Weta, and other locations in the Northern, Ashanti, Bono, and Ahafo Regions.
In his keynote address, Hon. Opoku stressed the importance of revitalizing existing irrigation systems as a crucial step toward achieving national food security. “While we develop new irrigation infrastructure, it is equally important that we focus on the rehabilitation of existing ones,” he remarked.
The project is supported by the Government of Korea through agencies such as KOPIA, KRC, and KIAT, whose interventions span seed production, irrigation development, farmer training, and renewable energy solutions. The Minister acknowledged their pivotal contributions, particularly the construction of a 1-megawatt solar farm aimed at reducing the cost of irrigation operations.
Hon. Opoku revealed that more than 100 hectares of land have been dedicated to rice seed production under the Dawhenya irrigation scheme, which is expected to yield 10,000 tons of rice seed annually by 2027. He called for the protection of public agricultural assets, warning encroachers and polluters that laws will be strictly enforced to safeguard facilities like the Ashaiman irrigation site, built in 1968.
As part of broader efforts to transform Ghana’s agriculture sector, the Minister unveiled the distribution of 150 motorbikes to agricultural extension officers, with 350 more on the way. He lamented that the current ratio of one officer to 1,574 farmers hampers progress. To bridge this gap, 5,000 agricultural graduates are being deployed through the National Service Scheme, with plans to double that number.
The Ministry is also establishing Farmer Service Centers in all agricultural districts to provide shared access to modern machinery, subsidized seeds, and post-harvest facilities. “Over 80% of Ghanaian farmers are smallholders who cannot afford mechanized tools individually,” he noted.
A new policy on fertilizer distribution was also announced. Starting this year, fertilizers will only be distributed through registered cooperatives. As a pilot, 3,000 bags of fertilizer will be distributed to Ashaiman farmers on Tuesday.
Hon. Opoku urged farmers to form commodity-based cooperatives to ease access to government support and financing. He emphasized that organized farmers stand a better chance of securing inputs, loans, and market opportunities.
Highlighting a shift toward agribusiness, the Minister revealed plans to link farmers directly with agro-processors to reduce post-harvest losses and promote value addition. He cited a new partnership between tomato farmers and a processing factory in Tema as a successful model.
“Agriculture employs over 44% of Ghana’s workforce. With the right investments, the impact will reach every household,” Hon. Opoku concluded.
The event drew participation from traditional leaders, development partners, and key stakeholders in the agriculture sector.
