Feasibility and Issues of Collective Irrigation by Farmers Using Small Reservoirs in Northern Ghana

―Evidence from a participatory on-farm trial near Tamale―

Abstract

This paper focuses on the feasibility and issues of collective irrigation using small village reservoirs. A participatory on-farm trial was conducted on supplementary irrigated rice cultivation using a small reservoir near Tamale, the capital of the Northern Province of Ghana. We examined and analyzed the operation, fund management, and organizational activities based on the rules established by the farmers. The results show that farmers can 1) increase their yields through collective irrigation based on the rules, 2) pay the fuel cost for irrigation, 3) highly appreciate the penalties among the rules, and 4) recognize the supplementary irrigated rice cultivation as a cultivation method with a high increase in yield, thus have incentives to use collective irrigation. Some challenges include improving coordination among farmers and equalizing field conditions to realize a more even water supply. Furthermore, educational support and external interventions are needed for the better management of funds and implementation of rules.