More than 1,000 farmers abandon land in Ghana
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on 3News
Illustrative image · Ferdous Hasan · Pexels · Licence PexelsMore than 1,000 dry-season farmers have abandoned their land in the Bolgatanga and Bongo districts due to a lack of water delivered through the Vea Dam canals. The situation threatens irrigated crops and food security in the Upper East Region, 3News reports.
More than 1,000 farmers in the Bolgatanga municipality and Bongo district, in Ghana's Upper East Region, have abandoned their farms in the Vea irrigation project due to a lack of water in the canals. The situation threatens dry-season agricultural production and food security in the region, according to 3News.
The Alliance for Change has begun dredging the left bank of the Vea canals to restore water flow to the farms. Francis Ayine Atomisgo, a representative of farmers in the Vea irrigation project, called on those who had left their land to return, saying the dredging of the canals should allow cultivation to resume, according to 3News.
Farmers in nine communities on the left bank, including Zaare, Nyariga, Yikene and Sumbrungu, depend on the Vea Dam in particular for vegetable farming during the dry season. Francis Ayine Atomisgo said several farmers had gone to southern Ghana in search of income and that some were now considering returning, according to 3News.
The president of the Alliance for Change, Roger Apos Ayine, said his organisation was intervening to help farmers restore the canals. The intervention had begun two days earlier at the time of his testimony, according to 3News.
The situation comes after the Upper East minister of Ghana announced on 16 October investments of 8.6 billion cedis in the region, according to the announcement of 8.6 billion cedis in investments. It also comes on 5 November after the publication of an article on three nurses for 45 children at Bolgatanga hospital.
